Forever Yours And Cherry Blossoms In The Moonlight
by Shinrabansho
Summary: AizenxIchigo, ByakuyaxIchigo Yaoi
1. Important Info and Forever Yours Part 1

This is more like an announcement. Some have asked me about my stories, Cherry Blossoms In The Moonlight and Forever Yours.

I have taken them down, but they are not abondoned. Rather, I've written on them the whole time and now I can proudly declare that they are complete. Only the epilouges are still missing. So that this time, I can promise you that they will actually be finished.

Also, both have been connected so that they both play in the same universe, but both are still seperate stories. Well, you will see.

In one week, I plan on posting the first chapters. Before that, they need to go through last grammar and spelling corrections. Originally, I planned to post them much earlier, but I was away during the holidays and had no time to work on them.

Enough said, I do hope everyone will enjoy the new stories. Notable improvements made are more IC Aizen, Ichigo and Byakuya, a more understandable storyline and a few interesting new twists. Also, the stories have become insanely long, so long that I'm asking myself how in the world I could ever have written so much...

And because author notes without an actual story are forbidden, the old stories are below. But only for comparison. These are still the old, unfinished stories.

Well, if you want to, I'll see you in a week.

(Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach...)

Warnings: If you haven't read my stories yet then you should know that they contain Yaoi (manxman) and are pretty much AU.

Pairings: Forever Yours (AizenxIchigo), Cherry Blossoms In The Moonlight (ByakuyaxIchigo)

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Forever Yours (Old)

--Prologue--

_--Beginning dream scene--_

_The world outside resembled the feelings of the person watching the display. A storm was raging, lighting the pitch-black night. It had suddenly appeared, as if out of nowhere. The weather had been clear before, the sky dark and starless, with only the blue moon offering guiding light: like he hated it the most. How dare nature be calm when he was not?! _

_Now, puffy grey clouds hid any brightness, as if they wanted to paint the world obsidian, never mind that they were the only thing offering protection against the wind that blew mercilessly, uprooting flowers and smaller trees. _

_Even though it did nothing to calm him, he mused, the storm did suit his state of sanity better. _

_He wasn't blinding like the sunshine that warmed people's hearts, he wasn't gentle like the soft, warm breeze, and he wasn't serene like the freshly fallen snow. No, he was the tornado: something that destroyed and took, somehow still managing to look fascinating. Thunder roared, interrupting his thoughts, its cracking sound echoing over the landscape that was eerily silent otherwise. _

_Soul Society, the last refuge of the dead, hadn't seen anything quite like it. Normally, the sun would always shine- light and pale instead of the blinding intensity it had on Earth. That's why it was no surprise that almost everybody had retreated to their houses, cowering together, fearing the vicious wrath of nature. All but him._

_In the window, he could see his own hard and cold eyes staring back at him. Because of the dim light, they didn't look like the orbs ordinary humans possessed. Other than that though, he appeared like any other normal child. For him, that was just fine. Let everyone underestimate him, no one had to know his innermost emotions and thoughts. They were just for him to know. Well, him and one other person._

_Quickly, he glanced at the place where his bed stood. There, a small creature was huddled under the covers, shivering every now and then. His gaze softened at the sight and a small smile threatened to appear on his face. Swiftly, he turned around again, indifferently surveying the garden that belonged to their house. _

"_Onii-san…"_

--beginning flashback--

"Ichi-nii? Where are you?" the small, frightened voice pierced through his mind like no scream could, ending his dream. Rubbing his red and puffy eyes, the boy tried to be as quiet as possible. His hideout – the hollow inside of an old tree – was a good one, so hopefully they wouldn't find him. Seeing them now would only break him more than he already had been.

"Please come out…" the sentence trailed off and even though the little one couldn't see the person speaking, he could hear the tear-filled tone.

It made him all the more miserable. Everything that had happened had been his fault… How was he to ever face them with that knowledge? Listening to the muffled sobs, his heart clenched painfully. That day, his life had been destroyed. Now all that was left for him was gut-wrenching guilt.

Because of his stupid mistake, his mother was now dead. He had _killed_ her, like a filthy murderer. He had _never_ wanted something like that to happen. To make up for his mistake, to finally be rid of his cowardice, he had tried to endure her funeral. Really, he had tried his best, but when he had seen her coffin, he hadn't been able to stay. All those feelings of regret and pain had come back, leaving him with no other choice but to run.

What he didn't understand was why the rest of the family didn't blame him for what had happened. Couldn't they see that she would still be alive if it hadn't been for him? Nevertheless, they were just as sad as he was; so unbelievably sad. Sometimes, the boy couldn't believe they still had tears left to cry; they could have filled an ocean… Wasn't that enough for one lifetime? Was his mother in heaven angry with him? Sure, his father had said that she would always watch over them, but what if she never wanted to look at her only son again?

"If only I was stronger, I could change the past…" the small child mumbled to himself, burying his face in his arms.

All around him, the sweet, musky scent of wood did its best to sooth him, to lull him back into a healing sleep where no bad memories threatened to shatter his young heart. Soft noises could be heard from the outside. It seemed it was raining. Wasn't his Mum's grave going to be wet? Wouldn't she be lonely where she was now? Without them all, without her family?

Didn't they belong together? Before her death, the boy had thought so.

Fluttering softly once, his eyelids slowly shut. Drifting away into sleep, he never heard the desperate calls of his sisters or when the rain developed into a real storm. Like any human his age, he didn't acknowledge that his 'dream' wasn't just a normal dream. Nonetheless, his life would soon change and his real destiny, one carefully hidden until this point, would unfold.

_--Beginning dream scene—_

_Flowers unlike any that humans had ever seen bloomed majestically in the garden. Some of them reached as high as a grown man, as if trying to catch a glimpse of the heavens they would never get the chance to see. _

_He adored their beauty, the sweet smell they radiated. And he could understand their desire for perfection. Like humans, they wanted to be loved and, of course, taken notice of. Maybe he read too deeply into a few simple plants, but whenever he saw them, he was overwhelmed with the wish to shine like them._

_A stupid wish, really, because one day, they would age and wither away, their colourful petals merely tiny particles of dust in the air. They would be forgotten; nobody would care for them anymore. To be forgotten… He chuckled humourlessly before a scowl settled on his face. If no one gave a damn about you in the first place, how could you be forgotten? _

_Taking in the sight of the black and white shaking trees, of the flowers he had treated with so much care before, he turned his back to the window. What a disgusting scene. Well, everything here was pitiful, he concluded, grimacing slightly. The sight of their residence may fool outsiders, but he knew better. _

_This snow-white building made of marble, surrounded by a picturesque garden standing on a little, lonely hill, was nothing but his own personal hell- a prison from which he couldn't escape. This estate symbolised all the invisible chains that bound him in place, all the things he hated with a fierce passion…_

_Of course, he wasn't the only one who had noticed that this place wasn't what it seemed to be. Often, the stories from frightened women gossiping about the unnatural chill enveloping the house would reach his ears, though it wasn't as if he cared. After all, they stayed away, didn't they? These were the lands of his family, one of the four noble Clans of Soul Society._

_For generations, only Shinigami with the finest spiritual power had been bred by this stock. Anyone who posed the threat of tainting their ancestors' name was eliminated. And that was the reason why the most important thing in his life would soon be taken from him. Unwillingly, he turned around again, staring at the trembling bundle on his bed. _

"_Don't cry," a small voice said slowly. Sorrowfully, he watched the white fingers clutch the blankets tighter, wrapping them around a slim body. _

"_I'm not," he replied softly. A huff came from the one he was speaking to._

"_Your eyes say otherwise. Onii-san… It will be okay. I believe in you. While I'm under your protection, nothing can happen…" the tiny figure stopped abruptly as another thunder roared._

_Looking away in shame, he bit his lip. There was nothing he could do; he was just too weak to save the one thing that mattered to him. And gazing into those trusting eyes, he was painfully aware of his own inadequacy. Everything will be okay… A lie told by a five year old boy, spoken in order to soothe him, the one who was supposed to be offering the comfort. Words like those wouldn't come true… Everything would not be all right again, not for him. Sometimes, you just can't wake up from your nightmare. _

_The beautiful white mansion, a good distance away from any other house, was a place rumoured to be a bad dream in itself. Even though one of the most influential families in Soul Society lived there, the manor's history was one full of pain and misery. _

_Whispers about that house were always floating about. Legends of people that had disappeared inside, stories of sounds similar to the wailing cries of the damned coming from within…It had been a long time since anyone had dared to come too close to the lands surrounding the building. Nobody could rescue the two boys that were trapped inside of the manor. No one knew of their desperate circumstances. _

--Continuation of the flashback--

"Wake up," someone whispered into his ear, hot breath tickling his sensitive skin. Long, thin fingers were playing with a streak of his hair, while the other arm was slung around his waist. Part of his body was rested on a comfortable lap and his back was leaned against a hard chest.

Although the aura surrounding the person seemed warm, he knew this wasn't his Dad, but a stranger who must have found him. Yelping at the thought, he opened his eyes instantly, staring up at an unknown face fearfully. Dark brown eyes, almost black in their intense colour, were regarding him with an unreadable expression. 'Handsome' was the first word that came to the boy's mind. But the fear was stronger than the astonishment.

He hastily tried to move away, only to have arms tightening around him, restraining his movements efficiently. Even though his lower lip began to quiver and his body started to shake, the little one found himself drawn to those eyes. Irises that were supposed to be brown, but appeared an endless black in the dim light of the fading day examined everything, every little detail taken into account and analysed. Those eyes were dangerous; anyone who looked into them could see that clear enough. Maybe it was because of the sharp intelligence they displayed.

Not the subtle resourcefulness of awareness, not the shining twinkle of the wisdom old people attained, but a pure, destructive mixture of knowledge and sapience that resembled the look of a predator prepared to lunge at its prey. Something that could beat others effortlessly and bend minds to its will, never mind it was all hidden behind a pair of normal-looking glasses.

Pale skin glistening in the darkness, contrasted the image sharply- giving the man an ethereal glow, making him look frail, strong, and unreachable all at the same time. His face was perfectly moulded with aristocratic, elegant features that formed a breathtaking entity. Thin, but soft lips were curled upwards, forming a knowing smirk that would unsettle anyone.

Fine, chocolate-coloured hair fell naturally over delicate eyebrows of the same colour. The white cheeks were tinted with just the barest hint of rose, proof that even he was made of flesh and bone, despite his unearthly appearance. Muscular arms were holding the boy securely in their embrace.

"Don't worry, I won't do you any harm…" the adult breathed. Was it only the child's imagination, or was the other frowning thoughtfully?

"Sir, please let me go…" he pleaded quietly, instantly hating his own abjectness.

"Why were you sleeping in a tree? It's dangerous to wander around alone in the middle of the night," the tall male said, seemingly in a kindly manner.

Shivering, the little one's hands grabbed the man's weird haori. All in all, the stranger that had found him wore very unusual clothes. Before he could find the courage to answer, another person appeared.

"Aizen-sama, what about our mission?"

Whimpering, the boy buried his face into the brunet's chest, not used to seeing silver locks. No human possessed hair like that; surely, that male had to be a demon!

"This is just my friend. Do not fear him," his hair was petted soothingly while the words were spoken.

Shyly, the child dared to take another peek at the newcomer. He wasn't as beautiful as his companion, but was charming in his own way. Still, there was something fishy about him. The stranger's most distinguishing characteristic was his face; it was completely unique. A wide grin was spread over it, eyes closed, rendering the orange-haired child unable to make out an eye colour. Had he not been human, this man could have very well have been a fox. He resembled the animal more than a little. Or was it just his imagination?

"Adorable! Your prey looks like a deer caught in the headlights…" the silver-haired figure chuckled. The boy stiffened visibly, breath hitching.

"Don't do that," the brunet's voice sounded, stern and commanding, though not really angry.

"I-I h..have to go home…" the youngster stuttered, struggling out of the hug he had been caught in. Almost unwillingly, the dark-haired male allowed him to wiggle out of his hold.

"We will accompany you then," the one named Aizen said, determination lacing his tone. Taking two steps back, the child shook his head fervently.

Should he run now? To be truthful, he didn't want to be in the presence of those two any longer, but he couldn't go home right then. He was sure his father and sisters would be terribly angry and upset with him.

"He insists."

Fox-face, the nickname the boy had silently given the other male, said.

"No, I don't want that! Go away!" the orange-haired lad shouted, in a whiff of bravery. Sadly, that didn't seem to offend the strangers at all, on contrary, both seemed to be amused by it.

"My parents told me to never speak with strangers…" he added uncertainly.

"We can't let a little wet brat go anywhere alone in the middle of the night, now can we?" the slit-eyed figure grinned, his tone laced with irony.

Slowly bowing his head, the young boy inspected his clothing. It seemed like the tree had let some of the water through, because the fabric clung awkwardly to his skin, making it itch. All he wanted was to disappear at that moment, to be inside the hollow tree again, safe and protected from stares and questions. There was something wrong with those men, he couldn't quite place it, but his instincts told him so.

On the other hand, his instincts hadn't warned him not to try rescuing that child, which had resulted in his mother's death. So, maybe he was wrong and the adults only wanted to be nice? Hesitantly, while rubbing his hands together to warm himself, he nodded.

"B-but I have to go somewhere else first…"

--Scene shift--

Looking at the grave made of solid stone, the boy could barely hold back his tears. Here, just a few hours ago, they had laid his mother to eternal rest. There had been many white flowers. People, so many of them, had been sobbing hysterically. And, of course, his father, the look in his eyes unreadable, and his sisters…

Kneeling down, he looked at the lilies placed on her sepulchre. The photo of her smiling face was missing, he mused. How was everyone to remember now how she had been, as shining as the sun? Even though he was feeling uneasy with the two strangers watching his every move, he had to do this before he went home.

"Mum, I'm so sorry! I really didn't want you to die, I didn't…I already miss you so much that it hurts. I know it's a bit too much to ask for, but could you one day watch over me too? Will you forgive me eventually?" he whispered. As his first tear fell – a glistening crystal in the dull landscape – it began to snow. Petals of the purest white fell, melting in his hair.

"Those are tears of forgiveness. Seems like your wish was granted," the silver-haired male grinned. And this time, the child answered with a smile of his own.

--Scene shift, a bit later--

"Ichigo! Ichigo!" Yuzu, a little girl of five years, cried, hugging her older brother fiercely.

"Dad was so worried! He is still looking for you…" she continued. Ashamed from making his family worry, the boy lowered his head.

"I'm sorry…" he replied, his tone crestfallen.

"Kurosaki Ichigo…" the voice interrupted, its tone quiet but sharp.

Turning around, the little one looked at the brunet. For one moment, their eyes met, before the man turned away.

"We will be going now. Until we meet again."

Nodding on the outside, the orange-haired boy frowned inwardly. Had it only been his imagination, or had there been some unknown emotion, akin to sorrow in those soft dark eyes? No, it couldn't have been similar to the look his mother had always given him. Just as the two figures disappeared into the darkness surrounding them, he remembered that he hadn't even thanked them…

--Flashback end, in the present--

"Kurosaki-san! Sleeping in my class isn't allowed!" the shrill cry jostled him awake with a start. Looking around dazedly, he noticed some of his classmates snickering at him. It was now that he took in the entire situation: he had fallen asleep! During a test!

"Sorry…" he muttered, even if it was just so that his glaring sensei would calm down a bit.

Why had he had that dream? It couldn't have been a real memory… But why had it all seemed so real? Although he wasn't a brat anymore and his mother's funeral had been years ago, he had felt every emotion so intensely that it was frightening…

"Is there still a problem? Your paper is empty and you only have twenty minutes left…" his teacher growled. Although he nodded solemnly, he didn't begin, but spared Kuchiki Rukia, one of his best friends, a quick glance. She was gazing at him with worry, her delicate features twisted into a frown. Normally, it was him who did all the frowning.

Well, considering his dream… Heck, he had to stop thinking about it! There was no chance in hell he had met Aizen and Gin before he went to Soul Society. His mind had made those images up because he was tired. Right, there had been many Hollow incidents lately…

"Eighteen minutes left."

…So, why did he suddenly have the dark, foreboding feeling that there was more to his 'vision' than met the eye?

--Scene change, present, somewhere else--

The exquisite scarlet red of the wine in his hand glistened in the white of his throne room. Like pearls of blood splattered over virgin snow, it contrasted beautifully.

Staring ahead, the man clothed in the purest of white smirked malevolently. Everything was set now… The real game could begin. And he wouldn't be the one to lose; his plan was perfect, after all- as unblemished as the beauty of his beloved. So sinfully gorgeous, wild and untamed…

Soon, all of Kurosaki Ichigo would belong to him. That had been clear since the first time he had laid eyes on him.

"What irony, though. I am the one giving myself the greatest weakness…"

Twirling the glass in his hand around, Aizen sighed. He only had to wait a little bit longer. It was only a matter of time now. After all, he had waited for so long, patiently, like any good strategist.

"They will not have you…" he hissed quietly. No one else would have his angel. The human was his to treasure alone. And he didn't like to share. With anyone.

--Scene shift, present, unknown place--

_Slowly, glowing eyes, resembling the bluest azure sky, opened. Carefully, the figure sat up, looking down at his bed. So, it was time already?_

_He had been waiting for a very long while. Now, history would once again repeat itself. A war was about to begin- his chance to punish those that had dared defy him._

_A cruel smile spread ever his face. Everything was set. The traitors would pay. _

_(_End Prologue)

„Someone is thinking of you. Someone is calling you an angel. This person is using celestial colours to paint your image. Someone is making you into a vision so beautiful that it can only live in the mind. Someone is thinking about the way your breath escapes your lips when you are touched. How your eyes close and your jaw tightens with concentration as you give pleasure a home. These thoughts are saving a life somewhere right now. In some airless apartment on a dark, urine stained, whore lined street, someone is calling out to you silently and you are answering without even being there. So crystalline. So pure. Such life-saving power when you smile. You will never know how you have cauterised my wounds. So sad that we will never touch. How it hurts to know that I will never be able to give you everything I have." By Henry Rollins

--Chapter 01--

--Present, in school—

Little clacking noises blended in with the sight of the clear, azure-blue sky. No clouds hid the bright, cerulean colour. Such nice weather today! Surely, spending time outside would be enjoyable. Soon, he would be free to do so…

Cursing under his breath, Ichigo looked at the pencil, only to find that there was nothing but pieces of it left, scattered on his desk. Another, already the third one that day…Funny how his insides were in turmoil on a day like this.

"Is there a problem?" his teacher asked. She sounded really annoyed. It took some time for the teenager to finally realize she was speaking to him. After all, he hadn't been behaving decently all day. Shaking his head slightly to show her that everything was just **fine**, he settled on looking around.

Everyone's eyes were focused on their own desks, different kinds of hands writing busily, some with happy, others with suffering expressions. In graceful or sloppy handwriting, words were written down. Kanji after Kanji, until they formed sentences and the sentences formed the test they were supposed to be doing at the moment.

His fingers drummed on the desk like they had been doing all this time, while his gaze strayed to his own paper. White and empty, he could imagine it glaring at him accusingly. 'You have studied; you know at least some of the answers…so why don't you begin? What is occupying your mind?' it seemed to say.

Yeah, what was bothering him again? That question had an easy enough answer. Why had he had to have a dream like that? Now his mind couldn't seem to work properly because it was still trying to figure out if what he had seen had actually been a memory or not. When trying to concentrate, his mind drew a blank. Everything he had learned for the test up to this point seemed to have vanished. Only a big, empty void and this bad feeling in his stomach remained, a fluttering that told the boy something bad was about to happen.

Even though he didn't believe in things like foreboding feelings, he wasn't able to shake off the dark thoughts. And now, it was consuming him, making him forget everything else until there was nothing but this uncertain thought that he should remember something. Every time he tried, however, there was nothing. All of these thoughts were useless; they only seemed to drive him around in a circle.

Maybe he should tell his friends; it was possible they knew something about these ridiculous visions. Bickering with Rukia always made him feel better.

Inoue was such a sweet girl; she would surely listen patiently and then make him laugh with some hilarious story about how he had been kidnapped by aliens who had manipulated his memories.

Chad would calm him with a few well-placed words, with the assurance that he would always have Ichigo's back no matter what.

Or he could ask Ishida; the intelligent teen would surely find a perfectly reasonable explanation, right? Heck, he would even prefer a good fight with the bastard Renji!

Being thoughtful wasn't like him. The teenager was one who acted without thinking, who wore his heart on his sleeve. He had been through so much, had handled the worst situations (after all, he had nearly died more than once) so, where had that confidence gone?

A dark shadow looming over his own slumped body interrupted his inner musings.

"Kurosaki-san…there's only five minutes left," his teacher snapped. Her lips were formed a thin line, making her look stricter than she normally was. Wincing inwardly, he settled on sighing. It wasn't her problem, right? Couldn't she just shut up? He was well aware of his own failure, thank you very much!

But before he could think of ways to curse her in his head, he caught sight of worried blue eyes staring at him. Smiling back faintly, Ichigo waved his hand in dismissal. Rukia should be more concerned about herself; after all, she wasn't very good in math. Well, she tried hard, but it seemed she would never get the hang of it- what would a Shinigami need quadratic functions for anyway?

Ten minutes later, the bell rang. Great! Muttering incomprehensible things, the boy tossed his paper on the pile of other tests. He hadn't even been able to write his name down.

--Scene shift, a bit later--

"What's _wrong_with you?" her voice was low, hissing, almost accusing. Staring at her with the same frown as always, he just huffed.

Kuchiki Rukia was a petite girl with black, shaggy hair, sapphire eyes that radiated warmth, energy and inner strength and pale skin that stood in a stark contrast with the rest of her. Her slender body was clothed in a blue dress she had stolen from Yuzu. No one should be so stupid as to underestimate her though; she was a good fighter, although often, she worried too much. Really, sometimes it seemed like she carried the weight of the entire world on her small shoulders. Something that didn't bode well with Ichigo; she always reminded him of a sister he had to comfort when she was sad.

"Just a headache," he replied soothingly. After all, it wasn't as if he knew the reasons behind his unusual behaviour himself. There was just this uneasy feeling nagging at his insides.

But no matter how hard he tried though, he couldn't make her stop worrying. His friend had the bad habit of seeing someone else's pain as her own.

It could be painful to watch her trying so hard. After all that had happened she deserved to rest, to heal. Ruffling her dark head, he smirked at her and sighed playfully.

"I'm such a busy guy!" Ichigo mocked, grinning as she stuck out her tongue at him."You were just lazy yesterday! Didn't I tell you to study?" she bickered back.

"Oh? And I thought I saw you scribbling something on your own paper furiously!" the boy laughed as she grimaced. Straightening out the dress she was wearing, the female Shinigami snorted.

"I don't understand how that subject is supposed to be useful for us! Come on, I've lived for over a hundred years without having to use it!"

"Maybe that's because your job is to slay hollows. They won't just suddenly ask you complicated math problems. That doesn't mean others may not need it."

"It doesn't matter when you die anyway!" the girl snapped, her hands swinging around in the air. Folding his arms over his chest, the representative Death God continued to gaze at his friend.

"I wish I could be as carefree as you. My Dad has already made clear that he doesn't expect anything less from me than becoming a doctor, or a professor, or…"

"I'd want to see that, strawberry head," a taunting voice interrupted. Turning around, they saw Renji standing behind them, greeting Rukia with a laid-back smile. You could instantly recognise this guy; he was quite…unique. Long, crimson locks were barely tamed in a low ponytail. Abarai Renji had a sharp, somewhat handsome face that often frowned the same way as Ichigo's. He had tanned skin; you could easily see that he was someone who loved the outdoors and spent a lot of his time there. Tattoos in all varieties graced his body, one reason why many chose to just see his rough outer shell.

If you went through the effort of getting to know him though, you'd find it well worth your time. He was a loyal and strong person, even though his sharp tongue could be annoying at times.

"Oh? That's something awfully rude to say to someone who _beat_ you!" the orange-haired male shot back.As always, their childish argument ended up in a fight That is, until a teacher saw them. During their daily routine, Ichigo forgot about his dream for a minute. Unfortunately, it didn't last long…

--Scene shift, a bit later--

"…spacing out!"

Turning his head to the source of the noise, the boy with hair the colour of sand saw Inoue looking at him with concern. He stopped walking and gave her a questioning glance. Her grey eyes shone with sincere worry. No surprise, she was a kind person after all.

Cheerful and caring, she was someone many admired. Her long, brown hair had a red tint to it that gave it an appearance similar to his own mane. A constant smile was etched onto the round, graceful face. Despite the apparent naivety she radiated, Ichigo knew even Orihime had problems.

"I just asked if everything was okay, Kurosaki-kun. You seemed to be far away…" she whispered softly. Even if he found her a tad weird at times, she was a true friend.

"Nothing. I was just wondering what Yuzu will cook today." he answered quickly, although he instantly felt bad for lying to her.

They were on their way home; school had ended just a while ago. The grumpy teenager was glad about that, maybe being home would calm him. Thinking about how his father would welcome him, he drew his eyebrows together. Yes, he would definitely be distracted from his dark thoughts there. At the very least he could ask his sisters if they remembered the incident from his dream.

"Is that so? Or aren't you feeling well? Oh, I know! Maybe if you try my new recipe, you'll feel better!" enthusiastically, she rummaged through her bag, only to pull out a lunch box.

Something quite disgusting-looking was revealed. Ichigo didn't dare guess what it was, but the slimy colour did worry him quite a bit.

"You can eat that?" he asked bluntly, sniffing at it. The sickeningly sweet smell made him want to throw up the things he had already eaten for breakfast.

"Really, it's delicious! Well, Tatsuki-chan refused to even try it, but she was a bit moody today, so…"

"I think…Chad would be glad to taste it!" the brown-eyed teenager looked apologetically at the giant. He just hadn't been able to come up with a better excuse.

Lucky for him, it worked and the girl happily scampered off to the big male, who was trailing a bit behind them.

"Safe!" he breathed. One could always count on Sado Yasutora. With his tall figure, the imposing muscles he had and the wild dark brown hair that hid his eyes, he did seem intimidating, but Ichigo knew his heart was in the right place.

"I don't think so…" this simple sentence, uttered from a voice he knew all too well made him freeze. No, that couldn't be. That had been Aizen's voice…His eyes narrowing, he looked around anxiously. To his surprise though, there was no trace of the maniac. And none of his friends seemed to have heard anything.

Had it been his imagination…or was he beginning to loose it? Someone like the former Shinigami Captain wouldn't simply appear here…

"Come on, hurry, Kurosaki-san…" gazing at Orihime, who was now a few metres ahead of him, he nodded slowly. Really, he had to stop thinking about that.

--dream scene--

"_You have decided to visit again!" little Yuzu smiled happily at the two men who were nodding politely at her. Looking shyly to the ground, the girl bit her lip._

"_Of course I'm happy you brought Ichi-nii back…but Daddy isn't here right now, so I can't allow anyone to come inside." she eventually said, kneading her hands together in a nervous gesture. _

_Gently, the brunet nodded in understanding, while his companion stayed silent. His fox-like grin spoke for itself, though. _

"_How wonderful that you are so responsible, especially for your age. I was just wondering if I could speak with your brother again. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost something important to me and I wanted to ask him if he has seen it."_

_Big, childish eyes widened, before a rosy lower lip began to tremble silently. _

"_Please, Sir…Ichi-nii isn't a thief!" she cried indignantly, pointing at him with one finger._

"_We would never imply anything like that, young Miss. Could you get him for a moment now?" his follower cut in, his grin widening even more. Hesitantly, the child nodded._

"_F-fine, I'll get him…" she whispered, disappearing into the house, but not before closing the door noisily. _

_Once she was gone, the silver-haired figure began to chuckle._

"_Clever Missy… She seems to suspect you, doesn't she?" he cackled. _

_Instead of an answer, he got a sharp glare that shut him up immediately. Damn, he had forgotten that this was significant for his Lord. No jokes were allowed as long as they were dealing with serious business. Minutes went by before something happened. _

_After a big crashing sound from inside, a messy-haired boy appeared, eyes as wide as his sisters had been. _

"_Sir? What are you doing here?" he asked, looking completely startled. His guest's smile softened, while his eyes surveyed the little one intently, like they had done on their first meeting. _

_To be truthful, it made Ichigo a bit uncomfortable. Swallowing thickly, he tried not to show his discomfort. The second visitor seemed to have noticed his state of distress._

"_No need to look so worried, we only wanted to talk with you a bit," the one named Aizen said. His gaze wandered over to the door that was still half-closed._

"_Would you mind if we come in?" he asked carefully. Gasping, the young lad shook his head._

"_Dad would be furious! And Karin doesn't like strangers anyway…" he added quietly. _

"_How about the park then?" Gin interjected with a careless tone of voice. _

"_I'm sorry, but I have to watch over my sisters…Maybe you could come back another time?" _

_Really, he felt bad for not inviting them in, but he couldn't disobey his father's orders. _

_Last time he had done that he hadn't been allowed to eat sweets for a whole month…a hand suddenly grabbing his arm drew him out of his thoughts. _

_Shocked, he looked at the men. Never had anyone touched him like this except for his family. _

_This scared him, even though the brunet had hugged and carried him before. To his relief, another hand suddenly freed his arm from the tight grasp. _

"_Aizen-sama, I think we should do like he said," the silver-haired figure's tone was polite, but there was a silent plea there. In a slow and concentrated manner, the other male nodded._

"_Excuse my indecent behaviour. We'll return another day," he stated firmly, although he turned around a bit hastily._

_Guiltily, the boy stared at him. He hadn't wanted to make the dark-eyed adult mad! Had he been bad? Watching their retreating backs, Ichigo suddenly felt very odd. Hopefully, they would really return, because a few days before, they had been really nice to him and that was rare…_

_And he had the weird feeling that there had been a message in those black orbs that had been meant for him, but he had no idea how to decipher it. What was it that the Mister couldn't say? It looked sad but, somehow, he could tell there was more…_

"_Nii-san…!"_

--Dream end--

"Wake up…Onii-chan!" a voice cried, while hands shook his shoulders frantically. Mumbling something incomprehensible, the orange-haired teenager opened his eyes tiredly. Yuzu was gazing down at him, her light-brown eyes shimmering in the dim light of the morning. Wait…Another day had begun already? And he'd had…another dream…

"You have to go to school…" his sister urged gently. Swatting her hands away, her brother huffed, crossing his arms over his chest in a rebellious manner.

"So you really don't remember two tall men, one with unusual silver hair?" he asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

Yesterday he had questioned both of his siblings, but the results had been the same, they didn't remember. Maybe because they wanted to forget the events after their mother's funeral, or just because all those nightmares were nothing more than fragments of his imagination. Why had he had to have two of them, though?

One couldn't say he was scared of Aizen Sosuke, Soul Society's worst enemy, but whenever that guy was around, he could sense himself growing extremely uncomfortable. The bastard just somehow managed to aggravate him whenever they met. Luckily, he hadn't had the 'pleasure' of seeing his nemesis that often. Thinking about that alone disgusted him.

"Rukia-chan is already downstairs and she's waiting for you! Hurry up!" the girl pleaded.

"Don't get your panties in a twist! I'm coming already!" he groaned. There was no doubt that an investigation was in order, but that would have to wait until later…

--Scene shift, later--

School was like always…an endless day of boredom. Somewhere between the constant chattering of his classmates and the dry-as-dust lectures of his teachers, Ichigo managed to doze off in a blissful half-sleep. Oblivion could be really calming sometimes, he realised. If he could stay like this, his mind drifting off in his own little world, classes would go by in the blink of an eye. Yes, after that, he would begin his search for clues…

"We have to go to the bathroom! It's an emergency!" Rukia's voice was what shattered his nice little fantasy. Looking up lazily, he noticed that she seemed quite urgent.

Had there been a Hollow attack…again? Lately there had been so many of them…

"So, you're telling me that, suddenly, you and four other of your classmates have to go to the bathroom…immediately," their teacher drawled.

"But we _have_ to go!" the female Shinigami whimpered, playing her role perfectly.

"Fine then, go, but I'm warning you…" the sensei growled.

Sighing happily, the girl stood up, motioning their friends to follow. Still a bit dazed, the orange-haired male did so.

What was that all about? Hopefully, he would find out soon enough.

--Scene shift, some time later--

"A report from Soul Society? And it's important?" Ishida Uryu asked. Constantly serious-looking, the intelligent young man was the last of the Quincy race. With his chin-length, dark blue hair, eyes of the same colour, skin that could very well belong to a porcelain doll, and glasses that covered his eyes, he appeared strict and indifferent, but he had sacrificed a lot for the people that meant something to him.

"Yes, we have orders to inform you about this, for it concerns you too…" this sentence was uttered by Hitsugaya Toshiro, someone who looked quite young, though that impression was probably due to his vertically challenged stature. Well, with the serious expression on his face and the white, spiky hair, he was special and differed in his own unique way. Not only that but his emerald green eyes held a certain shine to them, one that stood for hidden power and strict control.

Despite his age, after all, this little one was a Captain, leader of the tenth Division. Together with Matsumoto Rangiku, his lieutenant, he had been sent to the world of the living. Unlike her leader, the busty blonde was a bubbly woman with a loud nature. Although she was pretty with her fair skin and gorgeous steel blue irises, many only saw her rather voluminous chest measurement.

"What's this all about? Get that over and done with, we don't have much time!" Ichigo urged. His mood had been bad to begin with; this wasn't doing anything to improve it.

"These are documents from the history books of our library stored there until recently. They had been forgotten for a long time, only few remember them. Of course, our General's memory has always been good, that's why he remembered the incident. What we found really surprised us. Please read this, Kurosaki-kun…" the long-haired woman trailed off, giving him a blank book.

Flipping it open hesitantly, he took a quick look through it. Without a word, the female Shinigami opened a certain page and instructed him to read it.

_Last night, a terrible crime occurred. Everyone is astonished and fearful that something like it could have happened in the first place. _

_The head of the Aizen family, one of the four noble Clans, killed himself, his wife and the entire staff in the span of a single night. It seems the married couple had been fighting and arguing before the tragic incident._

_Both were found hours later, with the only survivor, their son, sitting beside them, staring into the empty air. The young boy doesn't talk, it seems he has been traumatised, but according to our medical squad, no signs of grief or sorrow emanate from him. While searching trough the house, one suspicious room was found…_

Gulping, Ichigo tried to keep his hands from shaking. What was this all about?

"W-what has that got to do with me?" he stammered weakly.

"A lot, actually. This boy was Aizen. Continue reading and you will understand…"

…_But the heir's room was more interesting to our research team. We found the walls full of drawings, all masterfully done. All of them showed one person, a young, good-looking man…_

Even more confused than before, the orange-haired teenager looked up, waiting for them to explain. After a moment, the young Captain took a deep breath.

"There was one of the drawings with this report. And we have to say, the person on the picture is quite familiar…"

Carefully, the white-haired child Shinigami handed him the picture. Staring down at the old paper, brown eyes widened. _Him_. Lying on a bed, sleeping serenely, with a small smile on his face. There was no doubt about it; it was just too well done for any other conclusion. Reading the last two lines, the book slipped from his hand.

_When asking the young child about it, he just answered:_

"_It's my angel…"_

--Dream scene--

_A smile. It was soft and Ichigo instantly took a liking to it. Somehow, it seemed to be more sincere than the ones the man usually gave. And it was meant solely for him._

"_I'm so happy you came back! Although, you are treating me to ice cream!" he laughed. _

"_Of course. I will always return to you," the brunet said seriously. _

"_You promise? We can do so many fun things together!"_

"_I promise," Aizen replied. _

--Dream end--

Waking up with a start, the orange-haired male tried to calm his breathing again. Sighing soundlessly, he sat up on his bed. Another dream…again. Didn't he have enough problems already? Maybe it was the bastard's plan, making him go crazy…Well, it seemed to be working so far.

Even his own friends were turning against him! After that revelation, they had started mothering him like he was going to die any moment. And there was a possibility that he would have to leave his home for a while to live in Soul Society. For his own safety.

Snorting, he let his head fall back on his pillow. Absently, he listened to Rukia's quiet snoring. No, he wasn't afraid, he wasn't a damsel in distress, and there was definitely no way his enemy would have ever been nice to him!

Hell, the first time they had met, that guy had tried to kill him! Not exactly a friendly gesture, right? Or was that the brunet's special way of getting reacquainted? Even though the other was a madman, Ichigo was sure even he treated his servants better than that.

Punching his pillow in frustration, the teenager tried to sleep again. After all, it was no use thinking about things; he was the kind who let his actions speak for themselves. 'Let others do the thinking' had always been his motto. Not that he was stupid or something, but making plans, analysing every little detail, and manipulating people was all too underhanded for his tastes.

Too many could get hurt, emotionally and physically. Lying and double-dealing had never been his thing, so he would never be a great strategist. All he could do was keep those around him safe. And even there he failed more often than not. But if he could lengthen just one life, make only one person smile, it was well worth it.

Partly, he wanted to become stronger, so that he would never lose another person dear to him again, but that wasn't all. The will and instinct to do battle, they were based on his very nature; it was like he was made to fight. And he did so constantly, be it in his mind or in the real world.

"Could it be that I'm just a distraction for some bigger scheme?" he wondered.

Giving in to his restlessness, he stood up, looking out of the window. Apart from the usual blackness of the night, rain was falling, its crystalline drops wetting the ground. Pressing his face against the window, the boy sighed. Really, he hated rain. It would always remind him of the night he had killed his mother. No, he was beginning to sulk again! That wasn't good…he couldn't be always depressed…he couldn't go back to being a crybaby again…

/Yeah king, sure thing. Did you know that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness?/

Startled because of the voice in his head, Ichigo winced. How could he have forgotten? Another one of his 'little' problems, the nameless Hollow that lived inside of him…

/I'm hurt…don't you love me anymore? I can remember someone thinking about how much he wants company…/ his dark side mocked.

"Shut up! I can handle myself just fine! There's nothing wrong with being alone…"

/Or lonely. Because that's what you are at the moment, right? Without anyone to take your hand…Go ahead, cry like the lost little boy you are. Cause that's what you want, right?/

"Wrong! I've always fought my battles alone!" he protested loudly.

/Just know that you can't fool me. Rainy nights like this one…Like the one your mother died…you won't find any sleep on nights like this./

"Shut up!" the brown-eyed male barked.

Grabbing some clothes, he hurriedly put them on, not bothering to brush his hair. Trying not to make too much sound, he ran out of his room, leaving his home quickly. Being there, alone in a room with his Hollow, was something he didn't want right now. There were enough problems he had to deal with as it was. At the moment, all he wanted was to forget.

--Scene change, Ichigo's room--

She awoke because there was something wrong. Not with her body, even though sleeping in a cupboard was really uncomfortable (she always had a stiff back because of that; really, these humans should make them more comfortable! Even a girl as small as her couldn't sleep in one without suffering!).

Searching for a clean dress in the mess of her clothing, she grumbled. Why did she have to wake up so early? Well, she didn't really know, but something was…different, wrong. Things weren't as they should be.

Thinking intensely, she tried to figure out what it was that had disturbed her. Only to start a moment later. Quiet…it was too quiet. Ichigo wasn't mumbling or snoring, there was only silence.

Alarmed, she slit the door open, looking around. Although the sheets were crumbled, her friend wasn't lying in his bed. Softly, she called out, but no one answered her. Now really worried, she bit her lip.

"Onee-chan?" a tired voice asked. Turning around on reflex, she was relieved to see that it was only Kon, still a stuffed animal. He was wearing the latest dress Ishida had made for him. Yuzu had been so happy about it, chattering how cute it looked on him.

"Where's Ichigo?" she asked, not bothering to ask where the modified soul had been. He had probably been trying to find a busty woman or something of the sort.

"Don't know. Maybe he had to pee?" the fluffy doll replied carelessly. Contemplating the idea for a moment, the female nodded slowly.

"That can be it. Please look for him, okay?" she added quickly.

"What? Why?! I need my beauty sleep!" the artificial spirit protested.

"No buts! Go and do what I told you! And I don't want to hear any noise!"

Sighing, Kon nodded after a moment.

His Onee-chan was not a morning person, that was for sure. He wouldn't mess with her. Really, why did his life have to be so hard? Wasn't he just an innocent, harmless and absolutely adorable guy?

"Go already!"

--Scene change, Hueco Mundo--

As always, Gin was smiling. After all, he had enough reason to. At the moment he was on a mission that promised to be quite fun. Well, his partner didn't seem to think so...

The white jacket, combined with the Hakama in the same colour and the black sash told anyone immediately that it was one of Aizen's henchmen, an Arrancar, a high-ranked one at that, even if it was difficult to tell for other people. Unblinking green eyes, similar to those of a reptile, gazed at nothing in particular, the rest of the Hollow's face almost as pale as his clothing.

Cyan lines descended from his irises, making it look as if he was crying. His hair was wild and black. The remains of his Hollow mask were on the top of his head, forming a broken helmet. A bored frown was spread over his face.

"Ulquiorra-san, so you are going to be my partner for this mission?" the silver shadow chuckled, while his companion just bowed silently in a show of respect.

"Well then, let's have fun!" the former Shinigami Captain said evenly, which earned him a glare from his stern companion.

"We must fulfil our task," was the only answer he got.

"Don't worry too much about that…After all, I'm not Aizen-sama's Second for no reason," the silver-haired man sighed.

"I never said that. Of course you are perfectly capable of any endeavour entrusted to you," the Espada replied monotonously.

Deciding that their job was more important than teaching the other how to loosen up, the fox-like creature turned around.

They had something important to do and it wouldn't be good to let their leader wait for too long, no matter the reasons.

--Scene change, graveyard--

"Mum, I'm back…" he breathed, looking down at the grave. Somehow, he had ended up here.

It had been quite a long way, but during it, he had forgotten about time, for he had been too lost in thought. Now, wet and shivering, he stood here, unsure of what to do. Had it been the right thing to do, coming here? Well, he needed someone to talk to and his mother had always been the one who had listened to him. Really, he missed her soft smile. She had understood his worries and surely, she would be able to give advice now too, if she were still alive.

"I'm kind of confused at the moment…Have you ever felt like dream and reality are merging together?" he whispered, feeling ridiculous. Here he was, talking to himself and a grave made of stone! Was it really time to question his own sanity? Maybe it was because the thought of going crazy didn't sit well with him. Or maybe there was another reason.

Nevertheless, the arms that suddenly slung around him caught him by surprise. Before he could even attempt to squirm free, they had secured him in their grip and it was impossible to get out.

"W-what?!" he gasped, attempting to struggle, but eventually, giving up. Stilling, he noticed that the one behind him could only be a male.

And surprisingly, he wasn't wet and cold, but warm, which felt strange against his damp clothes.

"Ichigo-san…" was whispered in his ear. His body went rigid. That voice…he knew it…

"A-aizen?" he gulped. No, this couldn't be good. But how…why?

One arm still clung to his waist, turning his body around so that he was facing his enemy.

The other hand took a hold of his chin, forcing him to look into the depths of the other's eyes.

A moment later, nimble fingers twined in the sand-coloured streaks of the teenager's hair. Closing his orbs in distain, the boy squeaked, something he was pretty embarrassed of a second later.

Despite that, the caressing hand wandered downwards, stroking his cheeks then tracing the contours of his face slowly. First the cheekbone, then the forehead, the eyes, the nose, and then the lips. Stilling, it remained there for a moment, feeling the softness.

After a short moment though the hand retreated, letting the captive exhale in relief. But that relief turned into horror as he felt steel press against his neck. Suddenly, everything felt unreal. A madman was holding him and threatening to slit his throat with his Zanpakutō…Was this one of his dreams? He had to wake up…everything would be okay after that; he just had to pinch himself or something…

"Oyasumi…"

There was a sharp pain before he saw his blood flowing freely, glowing a vibrant red against the darkness of the night. Then, his vision went black.

-Scene change, unknown place—

It all began with the sensation of an icy chill. Coldness, that was all what this mansion knew.

Created by creatures that only desired strength and wealth, there had been many cruelties behind those walls of finest marble.

The inhabitants of this house had always been unfortunate and every one of them had died a brutal death. None of them had ever been truly happy. Citizens of the nearby town called it the Cursed Palace.

That was about to change, though. Because it was inside of this haunted estate that he woke up, suddenly and disorientated. On the second floor, just behind a wooden door decorated with rose carvings, was the guestroom, a place that wasn't used all that often anymore.

Despite that fact, no dust could be found, no signs of neglect. Cream-coloured walls seemed dull in the dim light, but even that couldn't hide the fact that everything here had been carefully chosen. A light carpet procured a comfortable, warm feeling when entering the chamber, and the beautiful furniture only reinforced that impression.

In the right corner were a table and two chairs, all made of crystal. A mahogany cupboard painted in white was in the other corner, fitting wonderfully with the overall brightness of the whole room.

There was one huge window with a panoramic few and silvery curtains that sometimes flew ever so slightly in the barely existent breeze. Shimmering slightly, the empty vase standing on the windowsill had a somewhat lost air to it. The most noticeable thing though was the big double bed standing in the middle of the chamber and taking up most of the free space.Not only must it have been created with the finest skill, but also its costly, squiggly decorations hypnotized the mind. In contrast with the rest of the furniture, the blanket and sheets were midnight black, making the bedding all the more conspicuous.

All in all, the room could very well live up to the high expectations of royalty.

The one lying on the bed at the moment though, was blissfully unaware of that fact.

Long, thin fingers were tightly clutching the blanket and his face was twisted in a grimace, distorted with a sort of vague pain. Sweat drops slowly trickled down his temples, reaching dainty cheeks where they dried, leaving a wet trail behind. Shaky and rattling, his uneven breath was the only sound in the room apart from the rain knocking on the window every now and then.

Finally, after a long while of thrashing around uncomfortably and groaning, he awoke with one last, frightened scream. Chocolate-coloured eyes, clouded with the last remains of sleep and full of emotions, opened suddenly. Panting like he had just run for his life, he took a minute to calm down, to stop his body from shivering. That was the moment he noticed his still tight grip on the blankets.

Frantically, he stared at them. Surely, they weren't his own, for they were too expensive and delicate for him. They didn't feel like the cotton ones that he used and which were thick but relaxing at all. Even though the realisation hit him that this couldn't be his own room, he just couldn't move. Inspecting the unknown place he found himself in with his eyes was all he could do.

And then there was the nightmare he had just escaped from that was still haunting him.

Like a dark shadow, like a bad taste in his mouth, the feeling of panic and helplessness just wouldn't leave, although the detailed contents of the dream had already left his mind. Uncertainty was upsetting, annoying and frightening.

At least that was how the young man felt at the moment. Blurry pictures he couldn't understand nor associate plagued him, making him feel nauseous. Something in those scattered images could never have happened, he was sure about that. For him, dream and reality were mixing, creating a half-truth he couldn't trust, which left him behind in a confused and disturbed state.

Trying to pull himself together again, he closed his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply. The question of where he was should be more important now, he told himself silently. Everything else could wait until later, when he felt safe again.

As he sat up carefully, the blanket slipped from his slim form, making him feel cold all of a sudden. Surveying his body, he was relieved to find that he was still wearing clothing, although it was clinging to his skin unpleasantly. Gazing at the simple jeans and simple green shirt, his body went slack.

Really, he had been childish for thinking a nightmare could be true for one moment! Laughing softly at his cowardly behaviour, he immediately stopped, too intimidated by the silence he found himself in. Despite that, he sighed in relief, looking around the room he was in once again.

Branches of a tree were banging against the pane of the window violently, driven by the harsh wind bending them to its will. Noticing the weather, the boy drew his eyebrows together. Raging in all of its might, the storm sent cascades of rain clashing against the glass, even though you could barely hear it for most of the time.

Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, the teenager decided that this was his cue to leave- the whole situation was just too weird for his taste. Wherever he was, surely the owners of the house wouldn't be very happy to see him here. Heck, they would probably call him a thief and whatnot!

That would not be surprising; if he found intruders in his home, he would give them a good beating before even asking any questions! Slipping to the end of the huge bed that was probably larger than his whole room, he carefully stood up. It was now that he noticed he wasn't even wearing any shoes.

He could feel the soft carpet under his sensitive, bare feet. Involuntarily, he shuddered. That didn't feel right, not at all, something was just…wrong here. What had he done to end up in a place like this? Or was this all still part of his dream? An unknown fear crept into his heart, settling in, making it beat faster.

The panic took control of him and soon he wanted nothing more than to get out, to feel the refreshing water drops fall on his face and body. Everything here made him feel like he was in a golden cage and freedom was something he couldn't do without.

But he had to be careful, had to make sure nobody saw him. With hurried steps, he reached the door, opening it quickly to rush outside. After he left the room, the door fell shut noisily behind him, making him wince.

It was safe to say that the hallway he now found himself in wasn't half as inviting as the chamber he had just left been. Too dark, too eerie- everything about the place made the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Wrapping his arms around himself in a protective gesture, he noticed the portraits hanging everywhere. Beautiful people were painted on them. They were gorgeous, almost angelic, but their smiles told a different story, like they were planning something sinister, something no one else could understand. Their eyes were cold and unkind, with a certain gleam looming in those dark irises that promised a slow, painful death, should you have the courage to stand in their way.

Well, now he was really sure he didn't want to meet the manor's inhabitants… That was, if the artist hadn't been a bungler. He didn't understand much of art; he had slept through most of those boring lessons. They did seem real though, so that last one was an unlikely possibility.

Deep inside, he even felt like these figures were familiar. That couldn't be right, could it? Was it possible it was a coincidence, or was he overlooking something important? After all, when you've fought as many bad guys as he had, you could lose count or faces could become blurred.

Swallowing down his wandering dark thoughts, his head turned to the staircase that would lead him outside and, hopefully, finally away from here. Although he wanted to move, he continued to stare at the stairs for a moment, before he bit his lip. Why was he so thoughtful, even hesitant and worried?

That wasn't like him at all! And why now, in a moment like this, where he needed all his courage? Was it just the manor that gave him the creeps or was that nightmare still lingering in the back of his head? Maybe both?

Fact was he had never walked down a staircase so carefully before, stopping after every step to listen to any noises. Nothing happened, the silence continued to suffocate him. In the end, he reached the first floor without seeing anyone or anything, something that didn't necessarily relieve him that much.

But every thought about that vanished when the young man saw the door, that wonderful, wooden masterwork that certainly lead to his salvation! Becoming reckless, he made one huge leap to the entrance, his breath becoming uneven with excitement and the accompanying adrenaline rush. Just one more step and he would be able to return home, to his sisters, his father, Rukia, his family!

As he was about to touch the doorknob, however, the ground behind him creaked and light footsteps announced the arrival of someone. Holding his breath, the intruder didn't dare let his hand reach out to touch the knob, fearful of what was about to come.

"Who are you?"

The high, soft, and slightly annoyed voice, made him clench his hands into fists. It had been more like a statement than a question.

He could barely suppress the urge to run away. After all, the other could scream and wake up the whole house and that would mean big trouble for him…Submitting to his fate, he slowly turned around. What he saw, however, wasn't what he had been expecting.

(End Chapter 1)

"Who loves not a false imagination, an unreal character in us; but looking through all the rubbish of our imperfections, love in us is the divine ideal of our natures- not the man that we are, but the angel we may be." By Alfred, Lord Tennyson


	2. Forever Yours Part 2

--Chapter 02--

--Unknown place, hundred of years before Ichigo was born--

Seeing the intruder slowly turn around, Sosuke prepared himself for any kind of attack.

To be honest, he wasn't afraid, because whoever had dared to enter their residence without permission would hardly be able to beat him.

It surprised him that this guy had made it to the door without taking anything with him and without being noticed.

But what he really wasn't prepared for was to look into irises that, though a bit disoriented, otherwise shone with a strong will, almost burning him with their gaze.

As clear as he would have if it had been day, he observed the other who was facing him, bathing in the thief's beauty.

Short, spiky, gravity-defying hair the colour of sand; unusual and rare but still intriguing in every way.

Amber, melted and captured between dark lashes blinked at him, more precious than the rarest gem, containing a heat and passion for life the younger boy had never experienced.

That being was without a doubt a child of the sun; his skin was tan and looked unbelievably soft.

Although he wasn't small, he couldn't be called tall either, his form lean and elegant, not too muscular, but not exactly frail either.

Even though the older male was regarding him with a frown, in a weird way it fit him, although the brunet could imagine that a smile would be even prettier.

Yes, it would certainly make for a delicious sight for those full, cherry-red lips to curve upwards, revealing white teeth.

But all that wasn't what had him so astonished. Looking at the one facing him hurt, just like a dagger piercing his heart would.

The person that had managed to make him go in a stupor so easily opened his mouth as if to say something, than eyed him suspiciously before he closed his mouth again, furrowing his brows, as if deep in thought.

Strangely enough, the boy found watching the other being so flustered amusing and oddly endearing. It was as if his orbs were glued to the orange-haired teenager standing in front of him; he couldn't evade his gaze, couldn't stop himself from staring.

Hopefully, he wasn't openly gaping.

On the other hand, the figure's facial expression didn't look pleased with him. So maybe he was. If he could just remember how to move his body…

Two all too familiar presences finally enabled him to regain control again. Why were _they_ here?

Bracing himself, the child awaited the inevitable, stealing glances at the intruder in an attempt to calm himself, once more drinking in the sight of the other.

--Scene change--

The nightly burglar gulped. A little figure was staring at him emotionlessly, though he thought he could see a hint of curiosity shining in those dark eyes.

No, this wasn't what he had expected, not at all.

But the little one did look like the people on the paintings; he even had the same air of danger surrounding him.

Otherwise, he looked like he would grow up to be a handsome man. For eyes like the ones this child had, every woman would fall.

They were deep, charismatic, and were different shades of a dark, full colour, a mixture of black, brown and gold.

Smooth hair fell partially in his irises, giving them a mysterious glimmer. No, this couldn't be a normal kid.

There wasn't a spark of the traits that so many young humans had; that playful innocence, the will to discover any and everything about the world and the joy brought about by the simplest of things.

Instead, there was a deep chill and a sort of predatory grin.

No one should smirk like that! He had seen that smug expression somewhere else before, but where? In his frozen stupor, he couldn't remember right then.

Or, it was more like he didn't want to remember…

However, before he could say anything to the child in front of him, two other people arrived, appearing from the darkness unexpectedly.

Their presence had been so well hidden, that he became aware of them only when they were but a few feet away.

One was a woman, maybe in her early thirties, with a strong resemblance to the little boy that had found him. She had the same dark hair and eyes, even if her mane was curly and reached down to her cheeks.

Her eyes were sharp and narrowed at the moment, making the teenager think of a hawk that was about to grab the helpless mouse it had chosen as its prey.

The man beside her was middle-aged with dirty-blond hair and harsh features that complimented his empty grey eyes.

"What are you doing here, up so late?" the woman's voice, quite like that of a snake, seemed stern, unyielding and menacing. Every word was uttered with the utmost indifference.

"I heard a noise," her son bit back, his voice polite, if not a bit too sickly sweet.

While all of that happened the unwanted visitor just stood there, one hand still holding the doorknob, looking at the parents with growing confusion.

Why weren't they looking at him at all? Carefully, he lifted an arm, waving at them. Nothing happened; their only focus was their child.

"Lies!" she hissed, her hands balled into fists and her whole body trembling with barely controlled fury. Her husband grabbed her shoulders and shook his head.

"I have told you to contain yourself," the father said, though his tone was even more threatening than that of his wife.

"Very well then, go back to your room. You know what happens if we see you inattentive tomorrow, don't you?" the man continued.

Nodding to his lover, he turned around. She just smiled wickedly, taking a hold of her offspring's chin.

"Don't you want to give Mommy a goodnight kiss?" the female cackled.

Turning his head to the side in defiance, the young boy guided her hand away from his face.

"Don't touch me," he said in nothing more than a whisper.

A loud slap could be heard as she hit his cheek - hard.

"Hey! You shouldn't do that! Hey!" the orange-haired teenager cried.

Sure, he had watched everything with growing disgust until now, but he couldn't let someone helpless get hurt, right?

It just didn't fit with the morals he had. At first she didn't even look at him.

Only when he formed a barrier between her and the boy lying on the ground, his arms stretched out protectively, did she have the decency to give him a glance, before freezing. Her eyes grew wide; the orange-haired boy could see her gaping at him.

"Y-you…" she stuttered as if she had seen a ghost.

Drawing his eyebrows together, the dark-eyed teenager remained silent, waiting for her to continue. Nothing came though; she turned her attention to her son again.

"W-who?" her voice was unsure, as if she was trying to figure out whether this was a dream or not.

"Just a servant. He will be punished for talking to you like that. Is something wrong, my dearest mother?" the brunet replied, his behaviour changing so swiftly that it was almost scary.

Blinking slowly, the woman nodded, before she began to sneer.

"So you wanted to fool me with one of your illusions again? Don't think I will forget this so easily. Tomorrow, you will face the consequences of your prank!"

She left, not without giving her child one last hateful glare. Left behind was the young intruder, who wondered what that had been all about. Honestly, he didn't have a clue.

--Scene change, a bit later—

"Hey, are you okay?" the young man asked, as soon as the woman was gone, offering a hand to the child, who just continued to stare at him.

"Trying to defy her was something foolish to do," the smaller male said.

It wasn't a question or an insult, just a murmur uttered without feeling, although it lead to the withdrawal of the hand now hanging flatly at the teenager's side.

"Well, sorry if I saved your life just a moment ago! What was she talking about, anyway? I don't know how I ended up here, but…"

"You are someone filthy that wanted to steal something from here to survive…of course you know how you ended up here," the little one continued as if he wasn't even in the room.

And it was starting to annoy the older boy. Roughly grabbing him by the white shirt, he threw the child against the nearest wall.

"If someone's nice to you, better say thanks and not become all psycho, you punk! I mean, with that mother it's not your fault, but really! My name's Kurosaki Ichigo and, somehow, I landed in your house. I'm not a thief or anything like that, so I would prefer to leave now…"

Well, it wasn't a decent conversation, of that the orange-haired male was sure, but at the moment all he wanted was to get away from here.

"You just appeared here?" the eyes he stared in now resembled more the ones of a child, filled with the longing to know more. Relaxing, the teenager freed the child of his hold.

"Sorry for that, but everything here is…creepy. I just want to get out. Can you tell me where we are?"

Instead of receiving an answer, a small hand intertwined with his own and he was being led to the second floor again, this time to another room.

"Hey, I said I want-"

His sentence was cut short when he saw the room. This one was even more majestic than the one he had been in! But…

"It's like everything in here is frozen, without soul or heart…" Ichigo breathed.

One moment, he was still looking at the chamber, and then, his body was impacting painfully with the bed. He hadn't known that any kid could be that strong!

"What's that going to be when it's finished?" the young man scolded, but only silence followed his question.

One little brunet was too busy staring down at him.

His big, dark eyes didn't hold any emotion the other could read, but their gaze was so intense that the representative Shinigami couldn't help but gulp.

What was going on? Suddenly, the child was straddling him, using his bigger form as a pillow. When his neck was nuzzled, the unwilling guest began to protest.

"Come on, this is not funny!"

"I believe you…But for my help…stay like this…only for this night?" the request was unusually childish, especially for someone like that controlled little boy.

"Just be my friend for tonight…" was added.

Sighing, Ichigo took in the pleading look the other was giving him. Just like his siblings always did. Damn, they always won, too.

"Fine, but tomorrow, I will go home!" he stated, hoping to sound firm.

Despite his harsh words, the soft breathing on his chest soon lulled him back to sleep.

--Scene change—

Ichigo though, did not know that the little pain in the neck wasn't sleeping, just listening to his steady heartbeat. It was comfortable there, the boy decided. He could stay like that forever.

God, normally, he wouldn't trust anyone, but this was different. Nobody with so honest eyes would lie.

In addition, it was…the other's appearance that was the reason for Sosuke to want the other near, if only for this night.

Looking at this sleeping face, he couldn't call the intruder anything short of perfect.

Never before had he reacted so strongly when seeing someone for the first time, but this resemblance was just too strong to be mere coincidence, right?

There just had to be more to it. Such beauty, rare and wild, unusual in its genuineness.

And it was all his now, just his to savour and see. It was as if he was the cold, addicted to and craving for the warmth that he could never have.

Since he had been young and left all alone, there had not been a moment when he had not been freezing.

Now, though, he felt this soothing heat set in the pits of his stomach again, as he softly caressed a streak of orange that hung wildly over long eyelashes.

Closing his eyes, his mind drifted away too, forgetting his unpleasant past for this night.

Not long after, the soft tapping on the windows ceased and the rain stopped, as if the weather had decided that now that they were together, everything was fine.

However, neither of them heard the storm stop, as they lay in that kingly bed, arms around each other.

--Next morning--

Maybe it was hot breath so near his own lips that woke him up, or the warmth of the other body so close to him.

Whatever the reason, Sosuke blinked his eyes open tiredly. Here he was, entangled with the being he thought of as only a dream, in a really embarrassing position, had it been anyone else other than him.

Their legs were intertwined, two strong arms wrapped around his slim waist and his head resting on the other's chest.

Strangely, the other's head had somehow changed its position over the night, now cuddling his cheek instead of resting on its own.

It had to be highly uncomfortable for the older male, even though you couldn't tell when looking at his facial expression. For the brunet, it was heaven.

To not wake up in a cold bed, disappointed by the knowledge that the one that had promised to stay with him, that he had failed to protect, had vanished…

This man really was special. And he looked, Aizen decided, even lovelier in the light of day. Yes, the sun was already rising, its rays making the teenager's skin glow.

It just wasn't possible to resist a chuckle when the other scrunched up his nose. Watching him was never boring, like watching his most important person had been…

Yes, he could stay like this for a very long time…

Even though he desired to have those magnificent eyes gazing at him again, that could wait for just a little bit longer, because seeing them would be accompanied by pain, by the reminder of his own failure.

All the same, though, he would treasure these precious moments he had left with the other…

--Later--

Sunlight shone through his closed eyelids. Groaning, Ichigo tried to ignore the golden rays. Not yet, he didn't want to get up right now!

He wanted to sleep just a little bit longer, to snuggle into his comfortable bed and forget his worries for once.

Today it felt even warmer and softer than usual. And his blanket was really soothing…if you put aside the fact that it moved occasionally.

Wait…it moved? That couldn't be his blanket, something was lying on his chest…Maybe it was one of his sisters that had had a bad dream last night?

No, this answer didn't feel right somehow. Concentrating in his half-awake state, he tried to remember. What had happened the day before?

Soft hair was tickling his cheek and filling his nose with the smell of something musky and sweet distracted him.

Deciding that it was for the best if he would open his eyes and see for himself what was bothering him, he gasped when he realised what, or better yet who, it was.

Looking down in horror at the brown-haired child nuzzling his upper torso in a lovely way, his mouth opened and closed stupidly, resembling a fish.

And, even creepier than the knowledge that yesterday's events hadn't been some kind of weird dream, was the fact that dark eyes were staring at him without even blinking once!

As if every curve of his face and body were being registered and hungrily taken in. Now that couldn't be normal for someone that young, right? This little one could only be eight, maybe nine…

"W…w-what are you doing?" he stuttered, feeling even more like a fool.

But hey, he was really confused, wasn't it allowed to be a little bit disoriented every once in a while?

There was no answer to his question, even though the gaze surveying him never wavered. Harshly and abruptly, he sat up, fed up with the situation.

Removing the other from his chest none too gently, the teenager waited for a reaction. But like before, none came, and an awkward silence settled over them.

At least for Ichigo it was awkward; he couldn't stand silence for too long.

However, at the same time he felt shocked and a bit lost. Why wasn't he at home? What had happened? Hadn't last night just been a cruel dream?

Where was he anyway? And how could he return to his family? Shouldn't this be like every other day? So, why was it not?

Deep in thought as he was, he didn't notice when the brunet finally spoke, only saw him moving his lips.

Startled, he looked at the child, silently asking him to repeat his sentence. It seemed the younger male understood.

"You're a deep sleeper," the little brunet said, not really questioning, but amused.

"And?" the teenager snapped lowly.

Confused as he was, you couldn't really expect him to be nice, right? Besides, he wasn't exactly known for his patience or nice behaviour on mornings anyway.

Only his father seemed to always ignore that, all the others kept a safe distance until he had woken up completely, even some of the teachers.

Trying to keep the cussing that threatened to explode from his mouth down, the orange-haired Shinigami continued to speak in a louder tone.

"Now tell me where we are!" he demanded a tad rudely.

"…" There was no answer, just an unwavering look that made his discomfort grow to new levels. Really, some bad guys could learn something from this little one!

"Forget it! I bet you don't know anything anyway…I'm out of here!" Ichigo growled, standing up swiftly and making two quick steps to the door, intending on leaving this weird place and it's even stranger inhabitants.

Before he could do anything though, an arm grabbed his own and held onto it strongly.

"What are you doing? Let go!" he snapped, trying to free his captured arm, but to no avail.

"I have overslept…and you aren't leaving," the child told him neutrally.

"What?!" the young man hissed.

There wasn't any time for chitchat, he wanted to leave! Right now! But the tightening grip around his hand prevented him from doing so, even if it frustrated him more and more.

Why did a kid have so much physical power? Was that normal? Even though he was much older, he couldn't break free! No, mornings were definitely not his time of the day…

"We are going out," the brunette continued quietly, as if he hadn't heard his answers at all.

Without waiting for a reaction, the boy let go of his arms, opened his wardrobe and rummaged trough it. All that the older male could do was watch in shock.

Now, in broad daylight, the room seemed to be even more imposing. In here, everything was white. The teenager wondered how anyone could stand that without going blind.

Well, he guessed the fireplace wasn't completely without colour, but besides that…the bed they had slept in was nearly identical to the one had woken up in.

Big, with white sheets and blankets, and silver ornaments.

There were two windows in this room, both with white curtains. A desk was next to the bedding, clean and filled with piles of paper.

Countless books could be found in white shelves, all in a language he could not understand. At least he thought so because of the titles they had on their backs.

Like in the guestroom, there was a white, fluffy carpet here too, tingling his bare feet. Otherwise, there weren't any personal things in the chamber, making it seem cold and bare.

His gaze fell on his clothes and he grimaced in disgust. How long did he wear that t-shirt now? And sleeping in jeans really wasn't comfortable…

All of those thoughts were forgotten though, when he saw a sword leaning innocently on the wall next to the bed. Not a normal weapon, no!

Ichigo could feel its power…This Katana with the dark green hilt was definitely a Zanpakutō! At the moment, the child was shouldering it, before seizing the older one's hand again.

Before the orange-haired Death God could ask, he was shoved down the stairs, towards the door that led outside.

--Scene change--

Even though last night's storm had stopped and was now replaced with sunshine, it was still cold. The orange-haired teenager shivered as icy air hit his sensitive skin, but inhaled deeply the fresh air.

In the manor he hadn't been able to do so freely, some unexplainable eeriness had always seemed to make his throat go dry.

There hadn't been any chance to find shoes for him, so his bare feet squirmed uncomfortably as they made contact with the still wet ground.

Frowning, he looked at the state of his clothing again. More than anything, he wanted a warm bath and some comfortable clothing now.

To his displeasure, the child wasn't in his sleepwear anymore, but wore a pair of casual black trousers, a large, blue shirt and a black jacket- fresh and _clean _attire.

That Zanpakutō was still swung over his shoulder fastened on a small string.

Why was a small brat carrying a sword like that around? And why couldn't he free himself of his captor's grasp? Surely he shouldn't stay here.

Yuzu and Karin would be worrying by now and the teenager hated to make his little sisters sad, like they probably would be if they couldn't find him anywhere.

But where was he now? Frowning, he contemplated the question just to come to the conclusion that he was hopelessly lost.

Because Ichigo was sure that he hadn't seen this landscape before. So, maybe his home was far, far away, out of his reach. That brought him back to the question how he had ended up here anyway. Just thinking about being stuck here forever, had an icy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

His friends and family, would he ever be able to see them again? Even if it was just the loudmouth Kon by his side, he would have felt more reassured.

Looking at the brunet now standing next to him, the teenager barely resisted the sudden urge to shudder. Something about the other made him uneasy, squirmy even.

If he could just figure out why the child seemed so familiar…

"Sulking doesn't suit you, you're prettier asleep," the child said suddenly, interrupting his swirling thoughts.

"Excuse me? I'm a boy; that means I'm handsome, not pretty," Ichigo corrected stoically, feeling a bit insulted for being compared to a girl indirectly.

After all he was strong, hard and overall…manly! 'Pretty' was for giggling girls, or glittering jewels, or…

"That word doesn't suit you," was the unaffected answer.

"Look, you punk, I don't care one bit about your opinion! I woke up in a place I don't know, met creepy people, and now I'm standing here and don't know why… Either you tell me what you know, call the police and accuse me of thievery, or I kick your ass!"

"It wouldn't be advisable to attack me…"the younger male replied thoughtfully. Eyes shifting to the other's Zanpakutō, the substitute Shinigami inhaled deeply.

"Where did you get that thing anyway? I thought all Death God's lived in Soul Society…"

"They do."

"But…we are in Japan at the moment, so…" the orange-haired boy trailed off.

"Japan…what's that?" there was a certain curiosity accompanying the question.

Ichigo felt his heart sink. Could it be? Shifting his gaze to the unfamiliar scenery for a moment, his breathing became frantic.

Weren't they on Earth anymore? Could that have really happened? The seriousness of the situation hit him full force. That wasn't how he had imagined things, not at all.

So it was really true then? Just like that, he had manoeuvred himself into an unbelievable situation…again? He had to confirm it first, before he gave into his fears!

"What are you doing?" the sharp voice sounded demanding, not quite like that of a normal child. But for all the teenager knew, maybe this boy wasn't normal at all.

"I'm out of here! Leave me alone!" he barked and, with a power he hadn't realised he possessed, managed to finally free the arm that had still been in virtually a death grip, before blindly choosing a direction.

Looking back over his shoulder one more time, he could see the brunet just standing there, staring at his retreating form.

Those cold, frozen-seeming eyes would haunt him for a while after this for sure.

--Scene change—

Longingly staring into the distance where, just a few seconds ago, a wild, orange mane could be seen, Sosuke allowed himself a small smirk.

It was fun to watch the other, especially because those amber eyes lightened with emotions whenever the teenager felt strongly. Just like _him_.

Wonderfully alive, entrancing in his bright splendour…

Someone like him, always craving to see his precious person again, strived for that kind of perfection and, even at such a young age, he was enthralled by the display of raw beauty.

More often than not, people were a disappointment. Most were broken, both inside and outside, their spiritual and physical allure completely nonexistent.

They seemed empty, with their eyes being just as hollow as his own. How often had his mother made fun of him for still thinking about the time he had been happy?

Worthless, a waste of time…Thinking back was a weakness for her. He knew living in the past was wrong, that those times wouldn't come back; his mind was sharp enough to distinguish between dream and reality.

Although the boy knew all this, his memories were still his only sanctuary.

With the arrival of the unexpected intruder though, everything could change; maybe he would even get a second chance.

His resolve to correct past mistakes was growing, as was his attachment to the orange-haired male. This time, he wouldn't let go of his dreams so easily.

And the object of his fascination would be back soon, he was sure of it. Until then, he would have to face his parents, as he always did.

--Scene change—

Ichigo looked around, his sand-coloured locks flying as his head turned in every direction.

Another problem to add to the list…where the hell was he? Was this the right way…or not? Why was he in a garden right now anyway?

Or something that strongly resembled one at least.

High trees offering shelter from the sun surrounded him, warding off any possible sound. Only the calm rustle of leaves echoed in his ears.

Green grass, very soft and well cared for, tickled the sensitive soles of his feet. Some flowers, blooming in gorgeous shades of silver, blue, and red reached up to his hips, some even to his shoulder blades.

Others were so tiny that he nearly stepped on them, their dainty petals seeming pitifully frail.

Even if everything here seemed wild and untouched by human hand, it had a sense of order, like someone really cared for this place.

Plants he had never seen before slung their climbs around some stems. Quiescent in itself, the pure nature here created an atmosphere of true serenity.

It didn't fit the cold, guarded-looking mansion at all, as if someone had tried to hide the house's true nature with the outstanding beauty of the garden.

He had no time for thoughts like this though; after all, he wanted to get away from here as quickly as possible, not be hypnotised by some pretty botanic masterpiece.

Although, he hadn't seen most of the flowers here anywhere else before. Not that he was an expert, but it was another proof that he indeed wasn't in Japan anymore.

Shuddering slightly, he grabbed his own shoulders in a protective manner. Surely, he was only imagining it, but he had a bad feeling…like his home was way out of his reach right now.

To clear his mind up, he gazed around once again. Shouldn't there be some animals? Birds? Butterflies? Worms? Not that he cared, even if it struck him as odd.

What would Rukia say if she were to see him like this? Ichigo felt like a fool right now. After all, he was a Shinigami who had fought many battles and he had been frightened of some kid that couldn't have been older than ten! But those eyes…

Trembling again even though it wasn't that cold anymore, he remembered his father saying that the eyes were the mirrors to the soul.

Could that really be true? Before, he would have laughed at such cheesy verdicts because for him, eyes were just another part of the face.

Now, he wasn't so sure anymore. Even for someone who had seen many supernatural things, this night had been the oddest thing to have ever happened to him.

And that woman that had seemed to be so full of hate and rage…did she hit her son often? No, that couldn't be…

Nobody would abuse someone of their own family, right? So lost in his thoughts, the orange-haired boy never noticed that he was walking in a circle.

The sun rose high, clouds began to hide the blue of the sky, but the teenager never managed to actually exit the garden.

--In the mansion, at the same time—

"So, even if you stayed up unacceptably late yesterday, you didn't attend to your training today?" his father's voice was calm and restrained, like always.

Sosuke barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This good-father attitude was becoming annoying, even for someone with his patience and, although he was still young, he did have plenty of it.

As if they had ever cared about him at all! Not that he felt anything for them, he didn't for anyone. They had successfully beaten it out of him.

Yes, his oh-so-high, always well-behaved parents that took so much pride in being royalty weren't too prideful to stoop as low as to beat him when he had done something wrong.

When he had been five, so small, so horribly frail, they had exploited his weaknesses ruthlessly. Knowing he had been despaired by the fact that he couldn't feel anything, they had forced him under their control.

Willingly the child had accepted the harsh treatment and unendurable training, just to attain their love and respect so that he would know how it felt.

Having been gifted with a sharp intellect since birth, the brunet had had no problem with learning. On the contrary, everything came ridiculously easily to him.

If only it hadn't been for that emptiness inside of him. Often, in those lonely hours after his brother's death, he had mused about the reasons for that.

In his family it was a regular occurrence for blood relatives to marry each other in order to breed strong, outstanding children so that the Clan would stay pure and influential.

His mother was his father's cousin. So, maybe that had caused his lack of emotions and his mental instability? And he was the abstract monster created by their sins?

Not that he thought about himself like that, on the contrary. He was something better than them all. Created to stand above them all.

Should he be wrong and die, what would it matter? Fear of death was one thing he certainly did not know.

As strange as it was, only two people had made him feel so far. One was already dead, slaughtered by the monsters he had to call his parents.

And the other resembled his Ototo, the boy he hadn't been able to protect. If only he had been stronger that time…but he knew that souls had the ability to be reborn.

So maybe the uncanny resemblance between Kurosaki Ichigo, the startling young man that had so suddenly entered his life, and his sibling wasn't just a coincidence.

At least, that was his opinion. Never would he fail again…

"Maybe it's boredom. We should let him work harder, dear," his mother's voice suggested, dripping with venom, like it always did when he was around.

"Yes…After all, you are our heir. It wouldn't do at all to let a weakling become the head of our clan." Sosuke's father agreed swiftly.

Of course, he never rebelled against the will of his wife. Such a predictable fact.

"I'll do as you wish," he answered, yawning on the inside at their stupidity.

They never ceased to bore him. Taking the moment to shortly look around his father's refuge, a place that was all white like all the other rooms in their house, the boy sighed.

When would he be able to show them all his hate? Would he ever get revenge? And would the object of his fascination really return to him? What if he didn't? His stomach made a strange flip at that thought.

"This is settled then. Go now and don't let your teachers wait!" these words drew him out of his thoughts. They also brought his old confidence back.

There was no chance he could be wrong. Soon the interesting being would return to him as surely as the fact that the sun rose every morning.

He couldn't have made a mistake in his calculations. Bowing stiffly to the lowlifes he had to call family, the boy left the bureau with quick steps, awaiting the return of a certain someone.

--Garden--

Ichigo was stubborn, everyone who knew him was aware of that fact. Even if the task he had to fulfil seemed impossible, he would try

No one could stop him from doing so. But at the moment, all he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and scream.

It was getting dark already, the sun was setting, its last rays colouring the sky in a nostalgic red. He had spent the entire day in this garden!

Not that the place was big; there just seemed to be absolutely no exit! Not only that, but his stomach was growling loudly, demanding food.

Since he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday, all he could feel at the moment was his hunger and exhaustion. There wasn't any other choice; he would have to return to the manor soon…

Shaking his head furiously, the young man let himself fall backwards, down on the ground. Never would he go back there!

Not even the little voice in his head that seemed to be the responsible part of him could bring him to do that.

In a position like the one he was in at the moment, sleep easily managed to overpower him. Fighting to keep his eyes open, the teenager didn't notice that his struggling was futile. Soon, his hazy mind slipped away in a troubled half-sleep.

"_This view is fantastic!" little Ichigo cried, hopping up and down. _

_After the man named Aizen had invited him to ice cream, he had led the boy to an awesome place, at least in the kid's opinion. _

_They were in a field with green grass swaying softly in the warm wind. When you looked at the horizon, you could see the sinking sun in all its glory. Its red rays painted the sky a serene rose with just tinges of violet, signs of the coming nightfall in it._

_But when the little one looked at the adult who accompanied him, he realised something. _

_Instead of enjoying the display, the man was still watching him, like he had been doing all day now. That was uncomfortable and unsettling for the child, but should he ask about it?_

"_Sir, is something wrong? Are you sad?" he settled on asking. _

_Normally, he would begin like that when he tried to comfort his sisters. Maybe it would work here too?_

"_Why do you think so?" the brunet asked guardedly, his voice sounding slightly absent._

"_Well, you had that weird expression just a moment ago…" the boy answered a bit sheepishly, now ashamed for even questioning the other like that. _

"_Oh, I didn't notice. You just remind me of someone I knew." the man replied._

"_Someone dead? M-my m…mum died too. But Dad said she would be watching us from heaven, so we shouldn't be gloomy, we should smile for them!"_

_After a silent moment, Aizen nodded slowly, ruffling his hair afterwards._

"_You sure are something special, Ichigo-kun…"_

--End dream, scene change--

"I-chi-go…" his name was spoken carefully, like it would break if not pronounced in the right way.

Shuddering violently, the orange-haired teenager finally became aware of the hands that were lightly tapping his cheeks.

What he saw when he slowly opened his eyes, though, wasn't very reassuring. Those were the eyes, the ones that had been gazing at him in his dream!

Was he still caught in his vision, without any possibility of escaping the lies?

"You're hyperventilating." the voice didn't sound concerned at all, almost emotionless. And it was young; too young to be…it was just that strange child.

Relaxing again, Ichigo's shoulders slumped. For a moment, he had thought it was still Aizen who was watching him…

"You didn't come back…so I searched for you," the boy explained evenly.

"Well, I would be gone if this garden would…" the substitute Shinigami shot back, a bit embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head subconsciously.

"…Let you? My family detests visitors. That's why we have an illusion build up around our house. It's impossible to find the right way without someone of the Clan aiding you."

"But I need to leave!" Ichigo snapped.

"No. I can't let you just walk away like this. Better arrange yourself with the situation. "

"I'm serious! There's a family, a home waiting for me!" the older male exploded, sitting up a bit too abruptly.

He regretted it, though, as his starved stomach protested violently, making him feel sick. He felt like he was going to throw up any moment now.

"Your soul is… special to me, not like the others. That's why you will have to accept that you're mine now. Doing so will make things easier for us both in the long run…"

Now, the older boy, still confused and utterly unfamiliar with the whole situation, really had had enough. He couldn't take all the secrets and lies anymore.

What this boy had said was so similar to the things his enemy had told him in his dream and he just couldn't take that at the moment.

Balling his hands into fists, his eyes clouded with anger, warning the other that rage was building up inside of him.

"Now listen, you little freak! I only belong to myself, no one else!" he shouted.

When he saw that blank look appear in those dark eyes though, the young man regretted that.

Nobody should be allowed to seem so lost, so without bonds, as if nothing could bind him to reality. Like his mind was already dead, flying miles and miles above everyone else. This wasn't his nemesis, after all, simply a random kid he had just made sad…

"Well, if you can find me something edible, I'll think about staying a bit longer…" the representative Shinigami added in a lighter tone, hoping to make up for his mistake from before.

There was no reaction, something that bothered Ichigo greatly, but after a moment of hesitation the little one turned around.

"Follow me."

--Scene shift--

Hungrily, the teenager stared at the tray of food a maid was holding. Whatever this was, it smelled delicious, that was for sure.

He had been astonished to find so many servants in this house, but they did seem pretty wealthy, so he supposed they could afford it.

Especially pretty servants like this one. She had long, blond hair, a face similar to that of a porcelain doll, creamy skin and big, blue eyes.

Somehow, her irises seemed to beg them silently to go away. But why? Was she afraid of him? Or her 'young Master'?

"We will have dinner in my room," the child told the woman, something the older male felt grateful for- he wasn't known for his manners and he really didn't want to see those parents again.

Nodding obediently, the female followed her young master who was already leaving the kitchens, which were big and unlike anything Ichigo had ever seen before.

Yuzu's food was always good, but he couldn't help but drool at all the delicious-looking meals. Maybe before he left he would sneak back in here to steal some provisions.

Longingly staring at the steaming saucepans one last time, he quickly followed the other two.

--Scene change, Aizen's room—

Now that he was back again, the young man took the chance to inspect the brunet's room once more. What surprised him was the fact that there were so few personal things here.

Normally, someone so young would have posters, or toys, or music, something like that, right? Excluding the bookshelf, there was nothing like that in the chamber.

Carefully touching the back of a book, he tried to read the title, but soon his head swirled. He couldn't even decipher one letter!

Well, he had assumed that in Soul Society, everyone would speak and write Japanese, but that didn't seem to be case. So, how could he understand them?

Did they learn his language? Or was it some kind of miracle? Definitely a question to ponder over at a later time.

However, all his confusion vanished as soon as the little one gestured him to sit, offering the food to him.

All too happy to accept the offer, Ichigo sat and instantly wolfed his meal down. Before he could finish though, his gaze fixed on the writing desk; there was a pile of papers on the surface.

Curiously, he picked one up, only to freeze a second later.

It was a drawing; one he had seen before! That had been…Aizen's picture he had seen in Soul Society's report!

Frantically, he looked at the sword that was now leaning innocently against the wall next to the door.

There was no mistake, he had seen it before too! His hand was just about to reach out, when a voice interrupted him.

"Don't touch it," the dark-eyed boy said sharply, interrupting his inspection.

His voice sounded unusually tense and forceful. Ichigo choked, his long fingers hovering just above the sword.

As if the knowledge that he wasn't in Japan anymore wasn't devastating enough on its own, this was far worse! And he had missed all the clues like an idiot! All the little fact he had overseen before came back to him again.

The portraits, all with that well-known smirk, the child that seemed so familiar, the eyes he had looked into after his dream had faded…

"You are Aizen, aren't you?" the orange-haired boy whispered, biting his lip nervously. This couldn't be happening!

He had already experienced enough stuff he couldn't understand today. Please, he had to be wrong…

Inwardly, however, he knew he wasn't. This had to be another dream, an illusion, made to drive him insane!

--Scene change--

Seeing the other's face pale, Sosuke frowned. It was like the other had seen a ghost.

There had to be a deeper meaning why those tan hands suddenly began to tremble. And he was more than willing to find out.

"Are you feeling unwell?" he questioned.

"N-no…" his property blurted out a bit too hastily.

"I remember you gave yourself the name Ichigo. Why strawberry?" Maybe, if he could anger his sweet guest, he would get to know the reason why he seemed so uneasy.

"The 'ich' in my name means one! Together, it means that I can protect one person!"

The blush, caused from fury was amusing to watch.

But then, as if he had suddenly remembered something, the young man clamped his hands over his mouth. Aizen sighed. Such an endearing stubbornness!

"I don't think my name is so bad that you have to be all flustered about it," he said simply.

"I will never talk with my enemy! Well, my future one…eh? Maybe this is a dream? It doesn't matter; I won't stay here with you!"

"You will…" yanking the teenager forward, he firmly looked into the chocolate-coloured irises, not really understanding what this all was about. "…Be with me until I say otherwise."

Only afterwards did the child realise it had been a mistake to say that. The other's face darkened. Interesting.

His sweetheart's eyes now shone a light blue. Such a lovely cerulean that seemed to spark with energy. Like his angel possessed his own spiritual powers…

"I won't be controlled!" The firm tone he was using to say it made something within Sosuke flinch. It was as if it had already been decided that he would never have this angel that had come into his life so suddenly.

"You may think you can get everything you want, but I won't go down without a fight! You are nothing more than a villain to me!"

Blue power exploded, covering everything with its light. Under the spiritual force, the furniture cracked, breathing seemed to become harder.

The child's eyes though were fixated on the other man in the room whose body was glowing, before he was thrown away and into the wall.

Without another look, the object of his fascination turned around, running out of his room. Standing up hastily, the boy followed.

No, the other shouldn't run around here without him! What if he met his parents? Never could he bear to lose someone so precious to him again…

--Entrance Hall of the mansion--

The entrance hall wasn't empty like Ichigo would have expected. Maids were running around almost hysterically, and in the middle of it were two people the teenager remembered all too well.

His- Aizen's- parents. They didn't look pleased at all. Trying to ignore them, he broke in a sprint to reach the entrance hall, but they blocked the door effectively, rendering him powerless to escape.

"How dare he lie to me? Why did he bring that monster in our house?!" the mother screeched, pointing at the orange-haired Death God accusingly.

Looking at her face with a frown, Ichigo asked himself what he had done to deserve her anger.

"Our mighty Ou-sama, the one that holds everything together, is furious. You know why, right? The only possible reason for this can be you, the deformation! We _killed_ you! Why did you come back? Certainly, you are to bring misfortune over Soul Society and us! That's why you have to be eliminated!" the female continued, sounding hysterical.

With wide eyes, the teenager stared at the two people. How could they say that so calmly? What were they talking about anyway? Nothing made sense to him anymore!

"I'm on your side! I've never done anything to your king!" he yelled.

As answer, both unsheathed their swords. Worriedly, the amber-eyed male took two steps back. Normally he was a fighter, but he didn't have anything to protect himself with. What should he do?

"So…Soul Society wants him dead?" the little brunet asked lowly, his head bowed down, bangs of his hair concealing his eyes.

Startled, the orange-haired teenager gazed at him; he hadn't even noticed the other's arrival! He looked dangerous and inwardly, Ichigo winced.

How was he supposed to take on three Shinigami? Running seemed like a good option right now…

"That's right. So step aside; this is our King's will." his mother said sweetly.

Panicking, the teenager stumbled. Couldn't the child see how fake his parents were?!

"If that's what I have to do…Then…I will destroy Soul Society and everything in it."

The orange-haired teenager gasped. What was the little one saying?

"It's traitorous to speak of something like that! You are not our child! The devil! He is already possessed!" his mother yelled in a high-pitched voice.

"By saying that, are you aware that we can no longer allow you to live?" Aizen's father asked evenly, his eyes narrowed and cold.

"Will you pretend again that you don't have a child, like that time? You have two and both are failures, what a shame!" the child taunted, standing in between his family and Ichigo.

"Very well. Destructive Art Number Four: White Lightning!" the adult said, pointing his forefingers at his son, who just continued to stare at him.

Before the orange-haired teenager could cry out, try to help his rescuer, a white bolt had already hit the boy's shoulders. Remembering the time when Kuchiki Byakuya had attacked him with the same spell, the substitute Shinigami barely managed to catch the falling body of his protector.

But he didn't even have time to blink before two swords were pointed at them. One was near his throat, the other hovering dangerously close to the brunet's chest.

"You always were too weak anyway." the woman cackled. Seeing her act so triumphant, the older male felt anger rise inside of him. How could they do this?!

"He's your son! How dare you treat him like this!" he yelled, losing control over his emotions for a moment, enough for his spiritual energy to blast them both away.

Panting heavily, Ichigo looked down, wanting to inspect the brunet's injury. He never got the chance to do that, though, because the boy in his arms had already vanished.

Only a blur of colours could be seen before Aizen appeared again, this time directly in front of his family. His Zanpakutō was held firmly in his unwounded hand.

Something inside those dark eyes made the teenager tremble. There was rage, an uncontrollable storm in them. And that cruel smile he knew all too well…

"You won't be able to harm him again," the child said.

After they had finally gotten a grip of themselves, the parents tried to stand up and take a hold of their own weapons again, but their heir never gave them the chance to do so.

Fascinated and repulsed at the same time, the orange-haired male watched how his protector, as if dancing, stabbed his mother, ignoring her cries.

Seeing the pain in her eyes, the time-traveller remembered suddenly. Both of them were to die. What if…

"No! Stop it!" he cried, afraid.

This little one shouldn't kill. It was wrong; he would become the man he feared. Standing up shakily, he tried to run to them, to stop the brown-haired boy but before he could, the brunet attacked again.

"Destructive Spell Number Ninety: Black Coffin!"

Then, the world exploded in a shade of purple-black.

--Scene change—

Later Ichigo didn't know how he had come out uninjured, because the attack had been so full of energy, filled with so much malice that it frightened him to even think about. Fact was, when he regained consciousness, only two corpses were left, Aizen sitting beside them, his expression absolutely blank.

He had just killed people! How could he be so controlled?

And they were horribly disfigured…although he had seen many bad-looking wounds in his life; this managed to make him rather nauseous.

If it hadn't made him look so damn weak, he would have thrown up right then and there. Instead, he continued to stare at the display in terror, not able to contain his trembling.

"What have you done? Why? They were your parents!" he yelled.

"I refuse to see them as my creators…nobody will hurt you anymore…No one is allowed to do that…" the brunet said, standing up.

It was a scary sight, for he was still holding his Zanpakutō. Trying to escape from that house, the situation, and this psycho, the teenager managed to stand but his legs were still wobbly and wouldn't support him, so he stumbled slightly.

None the less, he didn't want to be here any longer. Who knew what Aizen would do to him?!

"Don't come any closer!" he bellowed.

For a moment something akin to hurt flashed in the dark eyes of the boy, before they grew emotionless again.

"No matter what you say, I will never let you go."

Remembering the report, Ichigo began to shiver again, this time more violently.

…_The head of the Aizen family, one of the four noble Clans, killed himself, his wife and the entire staff in the span of a single night…_

"No! Stop it! You have to stop! This is a dream…I have to wake up! Please, I need to wake up!" he yelled, covering his ears to close everything else out.

Why couldn't he be in his bed, still sleeping? This was just…too much for him.

Before he knew what was happening, soft blue light surrounded him, warming him, calming him down. Like through someone else's eyes, the representative Shinigami watched as the little one ran towards him, his hand outstretched, as if he wanted to reach him desperately.

Then, everything went black again and he could feel his chest constricting painfully. Some weird signs on his neck flashed before the house, Aizen, and everything around him vanished.

--Change of place, a few hundred years after the events in the mansion--

"Come on, wake up already…" an amused voice whispered in his ear.

Tiredly, the boy grunted, turning around to escape the annoyance. Something told him that he should have been wary, alarmed, or even uneasy, but all he was aware of at the moment was his own fatigue.

He had to sleep now, everything else could come later…After all, he had just had a really weird nightmare…

"You don't want to be late for your date, do you?"

Instantly, Ichigo was awake. Things were wrong, awfully wrong.

Whenever he even started talking about women, his father would cry and tell him that he was too young and innocent for that and shouldn't have such immodest thoughts, so there was no way he would be ever allowed to go on a date with someone!

Standing up quickly, the street he had been lying on hadn't been really comfortable, he found himself face to face with a grinning Gin.

But even his enemy didn't look right; he was still wearing Soul Society's uniform, his black Shinigami clothing. Just what…

"Happened?" the teenager voiced his problem out loud, if a bit groggily.

If he remembered correctly, the last thing he had seen was a young Aizen killing his family, but that had been another of those visions, right?

And why couldn't he remember how he had come to be in this alley?

"You had a bit of a rocky start, right? Well, let me help you a bit. Welcome to the second past!"

(End Chapter 2)

„The greatest achievement was at first and for a time the dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul, a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities." By James Allen

--Chapter 03--

--Present—

Kon was mad. Not only had his sleep been interrupted, but also he had to search for Ichigo in the middle of the night on top of that, while the rain made the fabric of the stuffed animal he was in damp.

Had he been any lesser man, he would have just returned to his warm, comfortable home without a second thought…but he had to do what Onee-chan had told him. Either that or he would have to face her wrath.

That meant he wouldn't be able to hug her for a while…Life was so unfair to him! Here he was, cute and absolutely adorable, always having to play the hero!

"I bet the guy has a girlfriend and that's why he snuck out at night!" the modified soul grumbled.

Imagining his orange-haired owner with a busty woman made him feel all the more miserable. Why couldn't it be him who was sleeping in the arms of a beautiful young Lady?

His thoughts were cut short when he heard footsteps drawing near. Finally! This had to be Ichigo, no doubt about that!

Who else would be outside in this kind of weather? Crossing his arms over his chest, the artificial spirit waited.

But…was it just his imagination or was he hearing two voices? Now a bit worried, Kon chose to swiftly lie down, staying completely motionless.

If that wasn't the boy he was out searching for, he would just pretend to be an ordinary toy someone had forgotten. After a few moments he could hear them more clearly.

They had to be near. Just a few metres in front of him, they seemed to stop. Listening to his quickening heartbeat, he waited for them to leave. Apparently, they had other intentions.

"It has to be here somewhere, right?" voice number one, clearly a male, said.

"Have you not read the description, Lord?" the second person asked emotionlessly.

"Must have slipped my mind," the first man answered, although he didn't sound regretful about it at all.

Kon gulped. They were definitely suspicious, whoever they were.

"Gin-sama…this is a mission. Please take it a bit more seriously," figure number two sighed.

Hold on a moment…hadn't he heard that name before? But where? No matter how hard the stuffed animal tried to remember, he couldn't.

It had been important, though, he knew that much. Maybe it had to do with Soul Society…Could those be allies? Should he reveal himself?

Lying on a hard, wet street like this wasn't very comfy, after all…What if he was wrong, though? Who knew what they would do to him if they weren't Shinigami…

Probably sell him off as an attraction. And then, he would never see Onee-chan again! No, it was better to wait a little while longer.

His heart sped up, though, when the sound of footsteps resumed, only stopping shortly in front of his body.

Gulping soundlessly, the modified soul sent a quick prayer to heaven that they wouldn't notice him. Of course, he didn't have that much luck…

"What's that?"

Apparently, they had seen him. So, what to do now? In moments like this, he wished that oaf Ichigo were here; at least he was good at beating the shit out of people…

--A few hundred years in the past--

Ichigo, after hearing those cryptic words, had been frozen to the spot.

What was that supposed to mean? And why the heck was Ichimaru Gin here, anyway? Somehow, he had the bad feeling that his dream hadn't been just a dream after all.

"Don't worry, we'll explain everything to you, but first, we have to…"

"We?" the teenager cut in, staring up at his supposed enemy in confusion.

"As I tried to say, we will be meeting Aizen-sama and…"

That's when the orange-haired male's mind snapped. Just hearing the words made him frantic. Standing up with a speed he didn't know he possessed, he did the only thing he could think of at the moment; he ran, trying to escape.

Leaving the alley he had found himself in, he entered a busy street. The crowd of people there stared at him strangely.

No surprise there; he wasn't dressed like them. Instead of normal, modern day attire, the women wore long, voluminous dresses with wide skirts, and weird-looking hats, some of which were even decorated with feathers.

The men flaunted what looked like ancient suits with long blazers and puffy trousers.

Panic settled in his heart. This wasn't right, not at all. Was he really…Not in the right time? Had Aizen done something to send him further back?

Where should he go, what should he do? He wasn't even born yet here, that was clear. Hell, even his mother wasn't!

Falling on his knees, he closed his eyes crestfallenly. So this was the cage Aizen had chosen for him so that he couldn't be a danger to his plans anymore.

Without his friends or anyone he knew, there was only one hope of being sent back to the time he knew.

He had to stay with his enemies; they had chained him without even using violence and the teenager hadn't even had the chance to fight for his freedom.

Gin arrived ten minutes later; he hadn't hurried to catch up to him. That bastard knew that there was nowhere he could go.

"Let's go. We will meet him in a little café, not far from here. It's going to rain soon and I don't want to get wet."

The urge to grab the idiot and beat him until that grin vanished was almighty; he hardly managed to hold himself back.

"Yeah, sure, let's go," his voice sounded hollow even to him.

Seemed like he would have to wait and hear what Aizen had to say; at least they didn't act like they wanted to kill him yet.

Instead of an answer, fox-face just grinned like always. Didn't he know how annoying that was?!

"You're the same as in the future," he growled, ignoring the hand offered to help him back up.

Standing up, he crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the dark sky. Wonderful, the weather seemed to feel the same way as he did at the moment.

"That would be disappointing. Surely, my older self must have improved…" the light-haired Captain warbled.

Ignoring the frustrating man, Ichigo followed silently, choosing to retain his glares for the real annoyance, the one that had brought him here.

Two minutes later, the other's prediction came true. Soft drops of water fell on the orange-haired teen, gathering in his hair, soaking his clothes.

Not that he really cared at the moment; he continued his way to wherever, with the silver-haired man by his side.

--Back in the present—

"Looks like some trash someone threw away. Let's leave, we have to find the house," one of the men said.

Kon couldn't see the two figures very well in the darkness of the night, but they both seemed to be tall, with white clothing that glistened faintly.

Or at least from what he could tell. And, of course, both of them had swords…something that did nothing to calm the poor mod soul.

Didn't the Shinigami in Soul Society wear all black? That meant these were the enemy! How had he managed to end up in this predicament?

Wasn't there any justice in the world? Please, they had to leave, he had to survive; after all, he was still so young and good-looking…

He barely managed to suppress a yelp when someone picked him up. Then, a moment later, green, cat-like eyes contrasting sharply with the darkness around them, gazed down at him.

Trying to remain stiff and unmoving, the artificial spirit waited patiently.

"I will keep it," the stranger decided after a moment of silence.

More than anything, Kon wanted to be able to whimper at the moment. These guys couldn't take him away! He had to stay with Onee-chan!

Or at least Inoue-chan…Anyone was better than them!

"Fine, do what you want. We have to go now, though." his companion sighed.

The stuffed animal was swiftly attached to the belt of the one with the emerald eyes.

There was nothing he could do to stop that, or he would be risking his disguise as a random toy. All he could do was to let himself be taken away, hoping there was some way he could escape.

--Back in the past--

All the while, someone else was thinking about running away, although his situation was even more hopeless. And poor Ichigo was even more confused.

Who, after all, woke up to find themselves in the past? After he had seen a young Aizen kill his entire family no less? What did the leader of Hueco Mundo want with him, anyway?

Sure, he wasn't that bad in battle, but he wasn't a real threat to them; or at least he wouldn't be one in the near future. There were much more dangerous men in Soul Society…

So, why had they chosen him to toy with? And what about his dream about having met that bastard and his fox-like henchman years ago?

Was it possible it had something to do with that mysterious brother the brunet's parents had mentioned?

One thing was clear for the orange-haired boy; his enemy was even stronger than he had thought him to be. It seemed that he could manipulate time just as Inoue could. Was that why he had been so interested in her?

Or was there yet another reason? Well, there was no sense in thinking about all that right now. Maybe after his meeting with the Aizen of this time he would know more about the whole thing. It was still not something he was looking forward to though.

Sooner than he would have wished, they reached their destination; a shabby-looking place that looked more like a bar than anything else.

At least on the outside. Because once they had entered, warmth hit the substitute Shinigami like a wave. Sure, the furniture was simple, but for this time, surely not cheap.

There were comfy-looking sofas; wooden chairs, big mahogany tables, and the walls were a tolerable peach colour. All in all, it wasn't that bad.

While he was busy looking around, his slit-eyed companion had already found their table and Ichigo decided that a drink was a nice idea.

Although the waitress looked at him funnily, she took his order without complaint. Unlike the other females in this time, she wasn't wearing long skirts, but a black dress that ended just above her knees and a white apron with frills over it.

Her curly hair was a dark brown and her blue eyes had a kind look to them. Staring after her as she took her leave, the boy frowned.

Being here felt so awkward! Just how far back in time had that guy sent him? Was there any deeper purpose to him being here?

It couldn't be anything good, that was for sure… Before he could brood more on the subject, the waitress returned. The hot, streaming coffee was placed in front of him.

Staring at it as if it would suddenly come to life and bite his head off, Ichigo tried hard not to tremble under the gaze he knew was directed at him. Finally, not being able to take it anymore, he looked up.

Squinted eyes locked with his. Grimacing slightly, he tried to ignore the other's laughter.

"What's so funny? Why are we here anyway?!"

"Haven't I told you already? It's a D.A.T.E.! Keep frowning like that and he's going to eat you up right away." Gin answered teasingly.

Before the teenager had a chance to reply, the door to the café opened and the one person he really didn't want to see at the moment entered.

--Present—

The destination of the two men was something that really frightened and astonished Kon at the same time. There was no doubt about it; this was Ichigo's house.

"So you did read the description and only wanted to make a fool out of me," the one the mod soul had nicknamed Green Eyes frowned.

His partner, the silver-haired figure, smiled.

"I'd never do anything like that. I've been here before, a long time ago. It was hard to find the right one in the darkness."

Somehow, that sounded fake even in the stuffed animal's ears, but the other male said nothing, just continued to walk next to his companion.

"We shouldn't waste any more time. According to the mission report, there is one Shinigami in the building, though even if she decides to make any trouble she will be easy to handle."

Kon hissed inwardly. Were they talking about Onee-chan? He would never let them harm her in any way!

"Let's go." the one with the emerald eyes urged.

Soundlessly, they stopped at the front door. After doing something the artificial spirit couldn't quite see, the man with the cat-like irises succeeded in dealing with the lock.

Like ghosts, they darted through the chambers until they found the one they were searching for, Ichigo's room. Kon really felt helpless at the moment.

Should he give up his disguise and just warn Rukia-chan? Should he…Or was it better to wait a moment longer?

Lost in his thoughts, he missed the moment they entered the room. And nobody was there, only silence greeted them.

The cupboard seemed to be empty and the bed was, too. It didn't take long for the two figures to find what they had come for, a sword. Zangetsu.

Gasping lowly, the mod soul stared at it. What was it doing here? Wasn't it supposed to only appear when Ichigo was in his spiritual body?

"Let's go. Aizen-sama is waiting for us."

--Present, Soul Society--

"We cannot tolerate Aizen's doings any longer." Yamamoto, the General of Soul Society said, looking tired, but formidable all the same.

The other Captains and lieutenants nodded, showing their agreement.

"Our great Ou-sama is restless and he has informed me that the threat that this man poses must be eliminated immediately. Simply attacking will be hard, though. We have to stop and think about the human work, about our tasks before we do anything," the old man continued, rubbing his long beard.

"Come on, that's all? He has one of our friends! We can't just do nothing, right?" Renji interrupted impatiently, only to be glared at by his leader, Kuchiki Byakuya.

But how could he be calm?

They had been called to Soul Society, in the middle of the night, just to hear that their King had become active.

And there had been more bad news; a Shinigami had sighted their enemy carrying the unconscious form of someone they all knew too well, Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Well, I'm right, aren't I?" the red-haired man added defensively.

"Rest assured, we will not simply overlook his evil deeds, but we must act with caution. At the moment, a war could bring disaster to our two worlds…"

"But it's the only way," Hitsugaya Toshiro cut in; he had always been very passionate when it came to fighting their sworn nemesis. His dear friend, Hinamori Momo, had been severely hurt and betrayed by him.

"So it seems," first Division's leader sighed.

Silence settled over them. Everyone was deep in thought. They all had different reasons to fight, but at the same time, that was what linked them together.

Eventually, Yamamoto spoke again.

"We must steel ourselves and prepare for the inventible. As long as the fiend is unassuming, we have a good chance at destroying the threat that has been a thorn in our side for far too long now. For that, I will need the assistance of every Shinigami there is. Spread the word."

Many pairs of eyes, determined and hardened, looked at each other. The time to act had finally come, and now it was their task to set things right again…

"We must do this for our two worlds. Think carefully over your decisions- should you choose to participate in this fight; there is a great chance you may die. No one will be forced to fight. Steel your resolve, because the enemy is powerful," the general ended his speech.

"Heck, anyone who freaks should just get lost! Can we get going now? I can't wait to beat the hell out of them!" Renji shouted.

Rukia glared at him, hitting him on the head for his tactless behaviour.

"Earth is in danger too, so don't worry. You have all our help too," Ishida decided to answer for the human delegation. Chad nodded, while Orihime only bit her lip nervously.

"We will use everyone where they will be of the most use. Inoue Orihime will help the fourth Division. Yoruichi-san will assist Soifon and her troops.

The other two will join the eighth Squad during the fight. We will not be able to ambush someone like Aizen-san, but we will set everything up for a frontal assault, hoping that he does not expect us to move so carelessly.

Do not forget that our goal is not to make this war escalate, but to end it as soon as possible. Kurosaki Ichigo, the representative Shinigami, is to be retrieved, but only if the situation for it presents itself.

No risky moves to bring him back will be made until we have the battle under control. You must not leave the three traitors alive, not under any circumstances. Still, be aware that Aizen Sosuke cannot be defeated in a one-on-one fight."

Closing her eyes, Rukia sighed. How had it come down to this? And…Was Ichigo still alive?

Why had he left his home anyway?

She had been watching him for some days now and was worried about him. Lately he had seemed more silent, as if he had been brooding about something.

Nonetheless, he just had to be okay. How would they go on without their leader, after all? No, she wouldn't think of him as dead, not when there was still a chance he wasn't!

--Past--

Somewhere else, in another time and place, someone other than Rukia was thinking about the orange-haired boy as well, though in a completely different way.

Looking around, the man sighed inwardly. The café his lieutenant had chosen was shabby, but adequate, if not a bit too crowded for his tastes.

Well, it would have to do. Shaking his head inwardly, his gaze travelled to the huge lamps above him. Really, some humans had no style…

Not that he cared about that at the moment. He had finally succeeded and achieved the next step in his struggle to control his full power.

His future self had not only told him some very interesting things; he had sent a pleasant surprise too. Aizen felt his heart skip a beat at the thought of seeing _him_ again, the one that was still haunting his dreams, even after all those years.

Was he still as beautiful? Well, he had to be; Shinigami didn't age as quickly as humans, after all. How old they became, nobody really knew.

Finally, his eyes fell on the silver hair of his substitute in a quiet corner. With pliant steps, the brunet drew closer, until finally, he could see the object of his fascination.

Even though he had thought his image had been forever burned into his mind, the sight took his breath away all the same.

From amber eyes, still so full of light, exactly as he remembered them, to the unusual hair-colour, everything about his angel was the same.

Now that Sosuke was older, though, he was also taller than the other. If his hair had been just a tone darker, the boy would have been the living image of his brother.

But he didn't see this young man as his sibling, not at all. Because there was more to his feelings than just the guilt he felt for not being able to protect his most important person. No, during the years, something entirely different had evolved.

It was darker, stormier than the love for a brother or sister, but at the same time more tender and much more intense.

Gazing at him unsurely, but clearly displeased by his staring, Ichigo twitched a bit, his hands holding a coffee pot.

"You, listen to me! In just three days, you managed to fuck up my entire life!" his sweetheart yelled as soon as he had sat down opposite of him.

"There's no way I'll ever join your sick little group or do the things your perverted mind's come up with, so send me back to my own time right now!"

Of course, everyone's attention turned to them; some whispered excitedly, others looked at the orange-haired boy angrily for his use of words that weren't quite appropriate for this time. The brunet could only chuckle; his angel was still as unruly as ever.

"Oh! A lover's quarrel! I better leave before I get too deeply involved!" Gin chirped loud enough for everyone in the café to hear.

Frowning even more deeply, the orange-haired teenager quickly shook his head.

"No, we're not…" he began, but stopped.

The lieutenant had already disappeared. Well, it _was_ in moments like this one that Aizen really appreciated his substitute…

"Sit back down," he demanded quietly, not wanting to cause a ruckus.

"As if you could order me around…" was all he got as an answer.

Despite his words though, Ichigo settled down again, arms folded over his chest in an angry manner.

"What am I supposed to do here? And what did you plant those dreams in my head for? Were you trying to mess with me?"

It was beautiful, seeing those brown eyes glow with barely concealed emotion, but the brunet knew he shouldn't tease too much.

What a pity that this creature wasn't his but his future self's possession…

"You will be born in about two hundred years…and only I can bring you back. I think I have every right to demand things from you or not answer your questions if I so please. It is not like you really have a choice, so let us relax and have fun while we can, Ichigo-kun," he couldn't help but say.

It was just too endearing to watch the boy opposite to him bare his teeth. Still, they couldn't stay here forever, and making the other mad at him wasn't his goal, so for now he had to give in.

"My future self asked me to keep you out of the line of fire for a while."

"Fire line? What do you mean? B-battles? You can't be serious! Tell me what's going on in my time right now!" the captured Shinigami cried out anxiously.

"Let us make a deal. I will answer you, but tomorrow. For now, we will find a place for the night."

"W-why?" his captive stuttered, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. A smirk was all he got in response, as Aizen stood up slowly.

"It seems there is nothing else you can do but follow me at this point in time."

--Past, some time later--

Why wouldn't the rain stop? Ichigo didn't know. All he was sure of was that it only made him more restless. How could he **not** be agitated?

Who would sleep when in the presence of their worst enemy? The one who was now downstairs, speaking with the innkeeper, an elderly woman.

Their room, the boy mused idly, was really not much. Wooden floor, greyish-white wallpapers, and two moth-eaten beds just weren't his style.

Not that he could complain too much; after all, there were two beds, so that he wouldn't have to sleep on the ground. He wasn't about to share a bed with that bastard! Even a stiff back would have been better.

There was another room connected to their chamber, a little bath. Though, naturally, the nineteenth century didn't have the same luxuries as the time he lived in.

Yeah, that's right; at least, the brunet had told him what time they were in. He didn't want to think about that at the moment though. His situation was already depressing enough.

If he could just become like the rain; a water drop like all the others, without a psychopath breathing down his neck.

What were his friends doing right now? Were they searching for him at all? Or did they think it was too risky?

Hopefully, they were okay. After all, it had been his fault that they had gotten involved in the first place. The orange-haired Shinigami felt all the more guilty when remembering how much Inoue had had to go through after she had been captured.

Unlike him, she hadn't complained one bit. But here, two hundred years in the past, he could do nothing but wait, which was what really made him uneasy.

His cage didn't allow freedom of any sort. Running was possible, but completely pointless. It seemed just like Aizen to come up with a plan like this…

No! He would never give in! His friends were just too important to him. And he definitely wasn't one for all the manipulation.

It felt more than a little bad to be used by the brunet solely as a puppet in his plans. How did his henchmen cope with being pieces on a chessboard?

Not good, he was becoming thoughtful again! That wasn't like him; he had to stop doing it! The usual way, he had to do things the usual way. He could handle himself just fine; he was old enough, after all!

Sighing, he looked out of the window for one last time. He might as well use the bathroom while his captor was away. Maybe the man would be gone for a little while longer.

For him, it was hard enough coming to terms with all that had happened as it was; he didn't need any stupid comments!

--Past, scene shift--

"Ichigo-kun?" Sosuke whispered, opening the wooden door to their room.

He had been forced into a conversation with the innkeeper for quite some time. She'd been nice and helpful, but it wasn't as if Aizen really cared.

The only thing that had kept him downstairs, listening to her stories, had been the image he had to uphold.

Despite the watch he knew he had to keep over his angel, he had allowed the other to go ahead. Even though he was rash and rude, the boy wasn't stupid and clearly realized the sort of predicament he was in.

However, the brunet had no doubt that his sweetheart would fight tooth and nail to get away. Inwardly envisioning that, he couldn't help but chuckle.

It was strange, how one person could keep his mind occupied for so long.

"You're done talking?" the teenager asked, coming out of the bath, and interrupting his thoughts.

He had already changed in the sleepwear they had bought earlier, a rather old-fashioned thing in a simple white with a disturbing similarity to a dress.

They had argued long and hard before the orange-haired male had accepted the nightgown.

"Yes. We better call it a day, tomorrow will be strenuous." he replied evenly.

Snorting, Ichigo turned around, probably to hide his derision on the matter. Well, his roommate was fine with that, since that way he had more time to take in the sight in front of him.

The simple, shirt-like cloth did nothing to hide his angel's long, tanned legs, and only emphasised his concealed curves.

For him, looking at the other for the rest of eternity didn't sound half bad…Of course, he would never say that out loud.

He had spun a fine web with his lies and deceits.

One not unlike that of a spider stalking out its prey, actually, and someone like Kurosaki Ichigo could rip it to shreds easily. His only advantage was that the other didn't know that. Only after he was sure that the boy was his alone would he risk telling him.

The truth was he wanted to share so many things with his angel but couldn't at this point in time. That didn't keep him from wishing and fantasising, though.

Yes, in his own little world, those amber eyes would look only at him; sometimes heated with passion, others, softened with love.

Love? Did he love the stubborn, but endearing young man? Hundreds of years ago, he would have said no.

Feelings like love were something for the weak and he certainly wasn't weak. Emotions could only lead to his downfall; he had learned that after his brother's death.

But now, after waiting for so long, after having experienced the desire to see his sweetheart again, he wasn't so sure.

Hell, whom was he trying to fool? Not only did he adore the little fool, he had a full-blown crush on him, like a stupid schoolgirl!

The possessive, brotherly feeling that had formed when he had first laid eyes on him was still there, but now it ran that much deeper.

And after so many years of yearning, he was pretty sure it wouldn't just disappear one day.

For now though, all he would strive for would be a little trust on Ichigo's side. That was the basis for their relationship.

To be completely honest, his angel hadn't been sent back to the past simply to imprison him; a war was about to break out.

His older self hadn't wanted the teenager to get involved, so he had ensured his safety in an admittedly unique way.

"What are you staring at?"

Oh, the orange-haired boy had finally noticed his intense examination. Knowing that his precious could become pretty catty when angered, Aizen quickly slumped down on his bed.

"Sleep well," he breathed, smirking when his roommate sat down on his own bedding.

"You better not try anything, I'm a light sleeper," the youth warned threateningly.

"I'm sure you are," was the pleasant-sounding reply.

It seemed his roommate had noticed the irony in it, for he snorted loudly.

--Past, Scene shift--

Her eyes still haunted him. She had died for him, after all. It was his fault that his mother would never smile anymore.

And the rain clashing against the window of their small room reminded him all the more of that fateful day. If only he had Aizen's abilities, he could make everything alright again. Not only for himself, but for his friends too.

Rukia wouldn't have to go through all that pain, and Inoue's brother would still be alive. Zangetsu didn't have the power to turn back time though, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Well, that had never stopped him from wailing in self-pity. Dark thoughts just seemed to make their way into his mind automatically on days like this, he couldn't help it.

He had never shown this weakness to anyone before; even now he refused to do so. His back was firmly turned to his enemy, his front facing the wall.

There was nothing interesting to see there, just mouldy wallpaper and the occasional spider scuttling by. And he would have to watch that boring display all night.

Only his Hollow knew of his depressed thoughts; he wouldn't be drifting away tonight. To his relief though, the voice inside of him was keeping quiet.

Maybe it was raining inside of him too at the moment, like it was outside. An interesting idea to ponder about since he didn't have anything better to do at present.

"Can you not find any sleep?" as soon as the question was voiced, the teenager stiffened visibly.

Aizen was still awake? How could that be? And why? Did he just want to mock him again?

--Scene shift--

Seeing the other's displeasure, evident in the tense back that was turned to him, the brunet sighed. His angel was stubborn; he had to give him that.

But without that trait, he wouldn't be as appealing. It was all the more amusing to argue with someone who had a temper on them, who was so full of life.

At the moment though, an argument wasn't his intention. His precious was obviously troubled, and Sosuke hated seeing that.

He knew he would do anything to make things better for the boy, because any other option made him feel weak.

And that complete willingness to sacrifice everything for the well fare of one human bothered him. One more reason to make that nagging emotion stop, in his opinion.

"If you are that uncomfortable with being in one room with me, I could always get my own. I am sure you would not use my kindness against me," he proposed calmly.

"That's not it," the teenager interrupted, irritated.

"Enlighten me, then," he encouraged light-heartedly.

"Won't you leave me alone already?!" his roommate snapped, burying his face in the uncomfortable pillow.

"We will talk as long as necessary; until you tell me what is wrong."

"Sure, at least that would keep me entertained…" it was just a whisper, but Aizen's sharp ears heard it all the same.

Frowning deeply, he soundlessly stood up. His sweetheart didn't notice the danger until it was too late.

Two strong arms had already encircled his waist, effectively trapping him. Softly caressing the other's locks, the older man continued to stare at his love.

"I'll stay here until you answer me," he whispered in the other's ear.

"How…childish…" his captive yawned back, only struggling weakly until his body went lax in the strong grip.

It seemed Ichigo was more exhausted than he had wanted to show, because seconds later his eyelids fluttered shut.

"You'll never know I used a Kido-spell on you…" the brunet smirked, watching the figure in his arms lovingly.

"But you must understand; I am being a bit selfish at the moment. This may be one of the only moments I will have with you…One could say I am jealous of myself. Or of whom I will be."

His fingers began exploring the other's face lazily. His angel's nose was small and cute, and he wriggled it slightly whenever the Captain traced it lightly.

His cheeks had a rosy colouring, the skin feeling unbelievably soft. Nevertheless, Aizen's dark eyes found themselves especially drawn to the full mouth, where soft, levelled breath escaped every once in a while.

His sweetheart's chest rose and fell silently, but the taller man could feel the movement every time.

Shuddering, he buried his face in the other's neck, feeling soft, orange streaks tickling his own skin.

For now, he had to keep his explorations as innocent as possible. After all, his older self had made it explicitly clear what he was; nothing more than a bodyguard, watching over his protégée until it was safe to send him back.

Sometimes he wondered why he had fallen for someone like the orange-haired young man in his arms. It was moments like this one that made it painfully clear for him…

"If I did not know what consequences it might have, I would never give you away. I would keep you by my side forever…" with those words on his lips, he softly drifted to the world of dreams.

--Dream--

"_Onii-san! Onii-san!" a high-pitched, frightened voice whispered in his ear. _

_Lazily, little Sosuke rolled over, gazing at his brother tiredly. Brown locks, wild and spiky, fell over chocolate-brown eyes that stared at him pleadingly. _

_His sibling's face was delicate; it could have very well been a girl's. Tanned fingers were clutching Aizen's blanket, the small body of his precious person clothed into a simple white shirt. _

"_What is it? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asked the younger child that shivered involuntarily. _

_Softly, the spiky-haired boy nodded._

"_I just can't sleep alone! Can I stay here with you?" his brother asked with tears beginning to form in his eyes. _

_Sighing, the taller brunet shook his head._

"_You know what mother and father think about that. We mustn't anger them," he looked at the horrified expression of the other in defeat._

"_But…they don't have to know, right? So come on in."_

"_Thank you, Onii-san!" _

_A moment later, a body was snuggling up to him. Feeling the warmth spread, Sosuke sighed contently. If only they could stay like this for eternity, he wouldn't complain about anything anymore…_

--Dream end--

Before he had realised it, the night had passed. When Ichigo opened his eyes again, it was morning.

Clouds were hiding the sun, but there was no sign of rain. It filled the teenager with a certain satisfaction.

Well, besides the odd warmth he felt all around him…that's when he noticed the predicament he was in. It was much like his first encounter with the young Aizen, only that this one was grown up and…holding…him…

"You pervert! Get away from me!" he groaned, his voice filled with sleepy and, admittedly, half-hearted venom.

The brunet just slept on, his face relaxed and unguarded.

Although he was sure if he had a sword, he normally would have made use of the situation, he didn't think he would have at that precise moment. His enemy just looked too peaceful.

"And it's kind of embarrassing to know that you could only sleep with someone at your side," he whispered lowly.

He tried squirming free, but that didn't work either. The grip around his waist only tightened, keeping him in position.

Now what was he supposed to do? Scream for help? Hit the bastard? Or wait until he was awake? Involuntarily, his eyes began to wander over his captor's frame. The man was definitely handsome. Inwardly, the orange-haired male envied him for that a bit.

With those looks he could easily get what he wanted, while Ichigo was stuck with his usual unattractive frown…

Hold on a moment…had he just caught himself checking his nemesis out? No! He was going crazy, _crazy_! That had just been brought on by exhaustion. Yes, that was right, exhaustion.

"I can't take this anymore!" he cried a second later, directly into his roommate's ear.

Nothing, no reaction. Finding himself blushing because of the proximity, our irresistible hero decided to take more drastic measures.

Like pinching one of the brunet's cheeks. Only to instantly let go as if his hand had caught fire. Aizen had really…smooth skin…No! That wasn't funny nor was it tolerable anymore! It…it had to end…

"Wake up!" he whined, shaking the sleeping man's shoulders.

It was then that he saw it- his captor had been smirking the whole damn time!

"Y-you're awake…" the representative Shinigami stuttered, eyes wide.

"Stop acting all adorable and I would not feel as inclined to watch you."

Needlessly to say, the day didn't begin very well for the poor boy. Because of all the teasing though, he had completely forgotten about his worries.

--Past, later that day—

They were wandering through the streets. Despite the fact that it had stopped raining, Ichigo was still in a foul mood.

No wonder; who would be cheerful when looking at the grey sky above? If only everything had never happened, then, the boy would have felt much better. Discreetly, or so he hoped, he regarded his companion.

Aizen's gaze was directed at the road they were walking along, although his head was held high. Sometimes, the orange-haired male asked himself how the other always managed to look graceful without even having to try.

He himself would probably never have that superior aura surrounding him.

Those were dangerous thoughts though; thinking about his captor like that was wrong. He never wanted to feel anything other than contempt and rage for the man. Feeling anything else would be wrong and weird.

Not that that was really the case, but he had caught himself staring at the brunet too often this day. As if he wanted to make sure he was still there; something that was childish and stupid. Maybe it was because he had no other way of returning to his time?

He couldn't afford to actually start getting fond of Aizen, even though he had been nice so far, he couldn't forget what he had done! To him, to Rukia, to Renji, to Soul Society, and to the world!

Fooling oneself, though, wasn't easy. The truth was he _wanted_ to trust the other; he _wanted _to believe that no one was entirely evil.

"Stupid, get a grip of yourself!" he whispered to himself harshly.

A bastard like this man would use him, play with him, and then throw him away. Building a friendship with him was useless.

So, why was he starting to consider learning more about the archenemy of Soul Society?

"Ichigo-kun, people are staring," a neutral voice interrupted his musings.

Looking up, the boy realised it was true. Not only did he have an unnatural hair-colour, but also he was talking to himself, all not good signs for the people in this time.

"Don't call me that. And I'll do what I want!" he huffed, sounding frustrated.

"As you wish. We will soon be meeting up with Gin-san."

Choosing not to question that, the captive nodded, though his thoughts were once again elsewhere. Would he ever escape his current predicament?

All of a sudden Ichigo started feeling strange, as if he had walked a thousand miles without food or water. Exhaustion and a stinging pain in his chest were all he could concentrate on. He didn't say anything though. He would never let Aizen see a weakness of his; he would surely use it against him sooner or later.

Then, he started sweating uncontrollably. Every step seemed to take far more energy than he had. Everything around him started to swirl, only his companion's thoughtful face remaining in focus.

Finally giving up, the orange-haired male decided to get the other's attention.

"B-bastard…" he choked out, not sure how to address the brunet.

Eventually, dark eyes turned to him, meeting his own, wide ones.

"How about a…little break?" the boy asked breathlessly. The intense stare that he got as answer annoyed him, but he didn't have the power to complain about it.

"So you are sensing it too…" the older man mumbled.

"W-what do you mean?" Ichigo gasped out; he didn't need mind games right now.

Couldn't the other just say what he had on his mind and get it over with? Sitting down sounded so nice at the moment…Just resting…an arm grabbed his suddenly and he was dragged onward.

"We have to find Gin-san. _Now_."

Didn't seem like Aizen would listen to his wishes, but enough was enough for him.

Unceremoniously, thinking he wouldn't be able to stand anymore, Ichigo let himself fall down on the ground.

Why was he panting so heavily? Really, things were just getting weirder and weirder…was the stress of the last few days finally taken its toll?

Could be; after all, he had to deal with the facts that his enemy's past wasn't exactly pleasant, that said villain could control time to an extent, and that he had been captured and sent back to the past.

/You didn't notice, King?/

No, not him again! He didn't want to be reminded of the 'little' problem in his head right now! Couldn't his Hollow just go away and leave him alone?

/If you don't want to hear what's going on…/

Really, he didn't. After all, he was already too deeply involved. He couldn't handle anything more at the moment.

/You really don't want to know why your reiatsu is acting funny?/

What was that supposed to mean? Something was wrong with his spiritual energy?

"Tell me what's happening!" he demanded weakly, though this time his question was directed at his companion, as his chest heaved and fell irregularly.

"I can only guess, but from what we know, Soul Society's sovereign has made his move. Well, a war is about to break out after all, and we are a danger to him…"

"War?!" Ichigo cried. His friend, his family and the world...He couldn't believe it. Why was all of this happening?

"And it seems he is trying to meddle with the time stream, so we have to find Gin-san…"

But the teenager didn't hear the rest; he couldn't breath, he suddenly just couldn't breathe! It scared him and he choked, holding his throat, just to see those signs flashing again.

What in the world was happening to him? Was he going to die now?

As the pain exploded he couldn't even cry out, although relief briefly washed over him when he finally lost consciousness.

The brunet's yell was what accompanied him to a world made of nothing but darkness.

--Present, unknown place (?)--

When his mind finally returned to him, along with the memories of what had happened the last few days, Ichigo sighed.

So, everything had been a dream? Must have been, because he wasn't on the street anymore. Now, he was lying on something soft and comfortable…

Smiling a bit to himself but not opening his eyes, the boy sighed. Right, how stupid of him to believe it had been real! Not even his enemy was powerful enough to send people back in the past.

In a few minutes, Yuzu would enter his room, telling him he had to get up. Right now, he felt ready for a day at school. More than ready, actually.

And fighting a few Hollows didn't seem like a bad idea, either. Just having a normal day (or normal for him, anyway) would be like being in heaven!

Ten minutes later, when his sister still hadn't showed up, he decided to stand up on his own accord. Maybe he could help make breakfast.

That would be unusual for him, but he longed to see the faces of his family again, so it was okay, just this once.

Opening his eyes, he was just ready to stand up, when he saw something that shattered his little dream world entirely.

Dark eyes stared at him, almost mockingly. Groaning, the teenager let his head fall back on whatever it was he had been laying on.

Seemed like no matter where he was, he couldn't escape his enemy's clutches…

(End Chapter 3)

"So raise your hands to Heaven and pray that we'll be back together one day. Tonight I need your sweet caress, hold me in the darkness. Tonight you calm my restlessness, you relieve my sadness." By Christian Bautista (Song: Hands O Heaven)


	3. Forever Yours Part 3

--Chapter 04--

Letting himself fall back onto whatever he'd been laying on was a mistake, as Ichigo realised only moments after the movement.

Because, well, this soft thing his head had been resting on before wasn't a bed, or a couch, or anything like that, but a lap. _Aizen's_ lap.

Eyes widening at the realization, the teenager tried to scramble away only to be stopped by two pale hands keeping him firmly in place.

With a sigh, he resigned himself to his fate and waited for the other to say something first. The only thing he was sure of, after all, was that he hadn't wanted to see the brunet again. Wherever he ended up, his enemy was always there!

How could someone be so damn infuriating?

And what was with that thoughtful expression? Was Hueco Mundo's leader concocting some new scheme? If yes, then he wanted no part in it. Hadn't he been confused enough already?

Out of the corner of his eyes, Ichigo looked around the room.

Black and white, combined in perfect harmony, flirted with each other, neither budging an inch. Their wild dance was present everywhere in the chamber.

Although the walls were a pure white, the dark shade of the floor made up for that. The throne Aizen and he were sitting on was made of white marble, while the dim light was cast by some sort of obsidian-coloured material.

There were no windows and no decorations, something that made the orange-haired boy quite uneasy.

Well, with eyes surveying them so intently, anyone would become uncomfortable. Not to mention the light that was flaring in those dark irises, something the captured Shinigami could not understand.

It resembled the mad fire he had seen earlier, when the younger version of his enemy had killed his parents and had attacked Rukia and Renji.

So close to the other man, he could see that shine ever so clearly. Swallowing thickly, he eventually decided to break the silence since he couldn't stand this situation anymore.

"What?" he snapped, hoping his demand would come out sounding firm and strong, but in reality it was more of a yelp.

Not that he would ever admit that he could utter a sound as ridiculous as yelping.

Chuckling, the brunet took a strand of his hair to play with absently, swirling it in his hand.

"Something went wrong I see. You weren't supposed to come back so soon…"

Barely able to contain his sigh of relief, Ichigo grinned happily. Finally, he was back in his own time…not that he believed that it had actually been real.

His nemesis had probably only been playing with his mind; that was his speciality, after all. Things would make no sense otherwise.

Suddenly, his delight vanished as abruptly as the flame of a blown out candle. Whether the events he had experienced had been reality or not didn't matter now!

If he hadn't been lied to, then a war was about to break out and his friends and his family would be in danger!

With newfound strength and determination, the teenager finally managed to break the other's strong grip, only to land on the floor ungracefully.

Oh well, he could be a klutz sometimes. That didn't matter; he had to get away immediately! He had the power to prevent a lot of the pain and suffering that was about to break loose.

"Where do you think you are going?" the voice was low and calm.

Containing a shiver, the orange-haired Death God tried to glare. The position he was in kind of ruined it though.

"Let me go right now! The fight-"

"Is none of your concern," Aizen cut in swiftly, standing up.

Moving away, his captive did the same. It didn't make up for his disadvantage though, since his captor was taller than him and he had to look up anyway.

"Wrong, what I do is none of _your_ business!" he countered, proud that his voice didn't waver.

Right now, showing any weakness could be catastrophic, especially since he seemed to be an easy target for the brunet's manipulations in the first place, something that irked him greatly.

The former Shinigami Captain lifted a hand and, for a moment, Ichigo anticipated a blow. It never came though.

One of his own wrists was taken captive again, before the other began to drag him off to somewhere. Brown eyes had darkened considerably; a storm was raging in them.

"Fine, then I have no other choice. I will show them to you…Soul Society's lies."

--Present, scene shift—

Renji attacked with a roar, his usually stoic face a mask of concentration. Feeling the ecstasy of the impending battle rush through him, he hoisted his sword over his shoulder.

Zabimaru seemed to glow, which told the redhead that his Zanpakutō was looking forward to the fight just as much as him.

Of course it was; it had been made for this, after all. Every Shinigami had instincts, a voice that told them that they had to fight, and only few could really suppress it for longer periods of time.

The will to protect their world from any danger was strong within them, guiding them down their chosen path.

He was no exception to that, but he wanted to get stronger not only for Soul Society, but also for Rukia and the people he had come to accept as his friends and companions.

And of course, he couldn't die before he had beaten his Captain! No, he would do everything in his power to show his progress, to make clear that one day, he would be stronger than Kuchiki Byakuya.

Anything less simply wouldn't do for him. Maybe then those sapphire-blue eyes would actually see him, not look right through him like they always did.

It made him furious and frustrated because it always served to make him aware of what a street rat he really was.

He could never be elegant and graceful enough. He was just himself, someone who had learned to survive on his own.

At the moment though, there was no time for such thoughts. After all, it had truly happened; they were on the precipice of a war. One that would probably end up quite bloody.

Still, nobody had backed out. In only a few days the Captains had come up with a plan and the first attack had just begun.

They were now in Hueco Mundo, the world of the Hollows, thanks to the Reijatsu of their King, who seemed to want to help them. At least, that was what their General had said.

What they hadn't anticipated though had been their enemies being well prepared for their assault. White had been all they had been able to see as masses of those creatures had obstructed the path.

Some had been weak and had been defeated at the beginning, but the Arrancar, unbelievably strong opponents, had appeared too. At the moment, most of them were engaged in a life-or-death battle with a Captain.

Hitsugaya's impressive Bankai was easy to make out; he had activated it against a female Espada with blond hair and brown skin, who was doing a good job of aggravating the short Shinigami, even without her weapon being drawn.

Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro had joined their forces against two enemies, one with pink and the other with long, black hair. Their rare twin weapons glistened in the eerie light, but even they hadn't been able to attain a victory yet.

Soifon and Yoruichi were everywhere, their flash steps making pinpointing their exact location close to impossible.

Mostly though, they assisted weaker Death Gods. Of course, the group from Earth wasn't idle, either.

Inoue was busy healing, her expression agonised. Rukia mostly used kido spells, for she had lost her grip on her sword after an especially vicious blow.

Chad and Ishida were both pretty battered, but the stony looks on their faces told Renji that they weren't about to give up soon. Nevertheless, the redhead knew their situation was dire.

Already they were struggling hard, and Aizen and the other traitors hadn't even appeared yet. Who knew what aces the ex-Captain had up his sleeve.

Not that he was frightened, but something, no, someone's life was on the line on this mission. Closing his eyes, he slashed at another Hollow, only to have two others attack him in its place.

'Ichigo…Just wait a bit longer. We're coming to get you, so don't do anything stupid like dying! Rukia'd kill me if you did…'

Hastily, his eyes searched out his Unit Commander. Where the hell was Kuchiki Byakuya? Why couldn't he find him?

--Scene shift, present--

"Apparently we are a bit late…" the silver-haired man smiled.

Kon tried not to squeak. They were standing on a hill, looking down at a spectacular display. There were his friends and allies, fighting!

Suppressing a sob, the stuffed animal tried to be as silent as possible. But what the hell were those idiots thinking, rushing forward head-on?

What if his Onee-chan got hurt? Or Inoue-chan? Couldn't they see that this was foolish? That their enemies were only playing with them?

It had to be Ichigo's fault; it was _always_ that big oaf's fault. Maybe he had acted hastily again, without thinking. He could have told them a thing or two, but he was just the poor fluffy toy, why listen to him anyway?

If it hadn't blown up his cover, he would have snorted down at them. As things stood now, he just stared, ignoring the painful feeling within him, waiting for the two males to finally leave.

"Aizen-sama is waiting," the funny-looking Espada finally urged.

Lazily, his companion nodded, his locks shining a light violet that made him seem even creepier that he already was. Then the figure's, Gin's, if Kon remembered correctly, face turned to him.

"You really want to keep that? I didn't know that you had a thing for trash."

Angered, the modified soul considered sticking out his tongue at the rude jerk, but decided against it at the last moment. Someone as cute as him should never be compared to trash!

Well, his orange-haired keeper might have done so once, but that didn't count; the dunce had no sense of aesthetics! Why else wouldn't he appreciate his pretty female friends?

If Kon had a human body, he would…His thoughts were cut short as the black-haired Hollow spoke again.

"It could become useful later…" his voice was even and low, not too obedient, but not rude either.

The man was the perfect picture of serenity. Frowning just the slightest bit, the stuffed animal wondered to himself if the lad ever laughed or even smiled.

Because at the moment, it appeared he would more likely cut off his hands and feet in the most painful way possible than do something as outrageous as curving his lips as a sign of enjoyment.

In the grumpiness department he could compete with Ichigo, and that was saying something; the orange-haired boy's face was constantly frozen in one expression.

"You know what we have to do after that?" the green-eyed Arrancar asked seriously.

Smirking a bit wider, his partner nodded and patted his sword cheerfully.

"It's all in my head. No need to worry, Ulquiorra-san."

Ulquiorra? What kind of name was that? One thing was sure; it wasn't a very common one. Not that Kon was one to talk, but he found it sounded too stiff and was far too long.

Of course, he shouldn't have things like that running through his mind right now. Escaping was of utmost importance at the moment, and he still had no idea how to do it.

Was he doomed to stay a motionless toy forever? Until he got thrown away? No! Why was it always him who got stuck into these sticky situations?

Surely, it was that Ichigo's entire fault! If that idiot hadn't run away, their enemies wouldn't have picked him up!

"Let's go then," the Espada pushed again, a barely audible undertone of annoyance creeping into his voice.

With a fox-like grin, his companion turned around, his white clothing swirling.

"Don't you like the show? Too bad that we won't be here when it gets interesting…when the earth gets stained that lovely shade of crimson, when cries echo through the air, like a melody made for all those who survive…"

The other followed him, but didn't reply, his mouth forming a thin line like it had been doing during all the time Kon had been watching him.

Didn't such words disgust the Espada at least a bit? Well, of course not, they were cold bastard, what had the stuffed animal expected?

Just then, a plan formed in his mind. In this form, he would be hugely underestimated, so one day he would surely be able to sneak out.

Then, maybe he would be able to steal a Zanpakutō or do something else to annoy them. True, he couldn't do much, but he would do what he could.

--Scene shift, present--

Aizen had dragged him through endless passageways, all of them white, before finally arriving at their destination.

Or at least, Ichigo thought this was where his enemy wanted to bring him. The brunet's facial expression was completely neutral, so the teenager couldn't be completely sure.

Wincing, he stared down at his wrist that had been handled a bit too roughly. It was nothing he couldn't handle, but did the other have to be so violent?

Finally, as if noticing his pained look, the older man let go, only to grab his other hand, more gently this time.

Choosing not to question his nemesis for the time being, the captured Shinigami gazed up in awe at the big glass door in front of him.

Unlike everything else in here, it wasn't white or black, but shimmered different colours. Sometimes it was a faint blue, other times a vibrant green.

No lock or knob could be found, as if the entrance wanted to keep everyone out, as if it guarded a secret that wasn't to be revealed under any circumstances. Feeling intimidated by the sight, the orange-haired boy shifted from one foot to the other.

Detecting his wavering emotions, long fingers caressed the back of his hand in a soothing manner, as if saying it was going to be alright.

Just as they arrived at the door, it swung open on its own, inviting them silently in. Ichigo suspected it wasn't because of him but kept quiet anyway, letting himself be guided inside obediently.

Should there be a single opening though, one chance to escape, he would take it without thinking twice about it.

Just because he was maybe a bit curious didn't mean that he would believe anything the bastard said. Someone like this man couldn't be trusted, no matter what.

Swallowing thickly, he tried to forget those hours he had spent cuddling with the younger Aizen. No, it hadn't been cuddling.

He had simply been too confused to realise what he had been doing at the time. Yes, that had to be it!

Darkness greeted his eyes as the door closed behind them noisily. Now as good as blind, he let himself be led ahead by his captor.

Being so dependent on someone else made his insides coil in helpless fury, especially because it was the one who had caused him and his friends so much pain who he had to rely on.

He felt terrible. Just as he was about to cry out though, the room was enveloped in a dazzling light.

It was such a sudden change that the orange-haired male had to shut his eyes tightly for a moment. After opening them again, he could do nothing but gasp in wonder.

Never before had he seen a place quite like this. On huge shelves were millions of books, neatly put side by side.

Some looked like they had been created a few hundred years ago, other seemed to be brand new. The shelves were positioned in a semicircle, so that only the middle was free.

And there stood a weird-looking thing resembling a sphere, radiating a mysterious light. Looking at the taller man in a way that hopefully showed all of his confusion, Ichigo crossed his arms across his chest as had finally let go of his wrist.

"What is this place? And why are we here?" he asked sullenly.

"This is where I have documented everything about Soul Society; the lies and the truth about the world of the Shinigami," the brunet replied gently.

"Why should I believe anything you say?" he murmured, but didn't try to make a run for it, which probably had to do with the fact that the door didn't seem to open without Aizen commanding it to.

"Judge for yourself," was all the answer he got.

One moment, his captor had been standing next to him, the next he had disappeared, reappearing in front of the sphere.

Closing his eyes, the brunet softly touched the object with his hands. Suddenly, the thing glimmered, shining brightly before the leader of Hueco Mundo opened his eyes again, motioning the other to come closer.

Hesitantly, the teenager did so, leaving plenty of distance between them, just to make sure.

"Look inside and see how they've been fooling everyone up until now," the dark-eyed male hissed.

Holding his breath, the young Shinigami blinked. What could be so horrible that the brunet believed it would make him doubt Soul Society?

Who could assure him that what he would see was real? Nonetheless, he had to know. Impatiently, he shifted as a foggy picture formed inside the sphere.

--Movie shown by the sphere--

_A middle-aged man appeared. His brown hair fell partially in his eyes, but did nothing to hide the cruelty in the orbs. In a business-like manner, he began speaking. _

"_Today, we finally made a break-through. Like our Ou-sama has told us to, we experimented for years so that we could finally grasp the spiritual potential of humans. To our deepest regret, every try so far failed and a few that died even evolved into monsters, with a hole in their stomachs and white masks. Although they were fearsome, we could not give up, for that is our King's will. And today, we finally managed to break through the resistance of one of our test subjects. Surely, with this, we can look forward to a new, brighter future! With this, we can finally enslave our enemies without them being able to resist…"_

--End movie—

"W-what does that mean?" Ichigo chocked out, staring at his enemy questioningly.

"The beginning of Soul Society. Nobody knows what the 'King' is, but we do know how the Shinigami were created. At that time, the King was fighting against god-like spirits that saw him as a danger to the world. He, wanting to get rid of them, did so in a horrifyingly brilliant way. He turned them into weapons that would support his own goals.

Long ago, he had realised the spiritual potential of humans. He wanted to bring that power out within their spirits and trap his enemies within their minds. For that purpose he created four beings, the founders of the Four Noble Families.

They captured humans and tortured them until their spirits and bodies broke, so that they could glue the pieces back together exactly the way they wished. Some didn't give up so easily and kept resisting though, and ultimately became Hollows…Instead of giving up; they chose their dark sides as protection. You know the outcome of their fiddling very well…

Why do you think Zanpakutōs are so special? Because they have an actual soul in them, the spirits of the gods that had opposed the King. Now, they are bound within those who became Shinigami, cursed to stay tools forever. More Death Gods were created this way, either by birth, or by death."

Shocked at all the information, the orange-haired boy stumbled a bit, but got a grip of himself again soon enough.

"That can't be…And even if it's true, none of it is the fault of the Shinigami that live right now! None of them know anything about this!"

"Don't you see how false they are? Are you really that naïve that you think nobody remembers anymore? Very well then, let's continue…"

--Second movie--

_General Yamamoto appeared in the sphere, but he didn't look how Ichigo knew him. He was much younger, his face was quite handsome, he didn't have a beard and his hair was a soft shade of brown. He wasn't smiling though, and his demeanour was stiff. _

"_I was appointed to be the General's successor. As such, I was introduced to my duties. First and foremost, I am to serve my King, our creator and saviour. His wish is to attain the ultimate power, that which we call the 'Heart of the Inner World'. _

_The Hollows, spiteful beings that they are, form a growing obstacle for us, and must be eliminated at any cost. No one is allowed to go against our Ou-sama's will. Those of us who do not show their obedience are to be eliminated immediately. We must not waver, for this is the will of the one that holds our world together…"_

--End movie—

"What's this all about? I don't understand what you're trying to show me with this!" the orange-haired boy yelled, distancing himself from the sphere that lost its shine and became blank once again.

Swiftly, Aizen slid his arms around his waist and pulled him flush against his body. Crying out in protest, Ichigo tried to free himself, but to no avail.

"He knew all along what had been done to the humans. Not many do, for most are just puppets, even Captains. The elders and the General, though, aren't stupid. The Heart of the Inner World…Do you know what that is?

A long time ago, it was what held our worlds together. And the god-like spirits were its protectors, as they watched the humans develop. The King used to be one of them, until he became greedy and tried to steal the Heart and make its power his own.

After he failed to do so, he was punished by the others and had to become the new thing that held everything together, binding him so that he couldn't escape. That's why he found Soul Society. And when he finds the real Heart, he will attain the power to destroy everything."

"I don't believe you! Let me go!" his captive cried.

For a moment, the brunet smirked down at him; then he leaned down and sealed his angel's lips with his own.

--Scene shift--

"Watch out!" Rukia yelled.

The Shinigami next to her barely managed to jump away before a Cero hit the place he had been standing in just moments ago.

Panting, she placed her own body in front of the other, who was injured, shielding him. All of this was just horrible! She couldn't continue anymore, even though she urged her body to do so. Why did they have to fight? For what?

And was whatever the reason was enough to endure the pain filled cries and the enraged howls of battle?

Although she knew she shouldn't be thinking like that, the female wasn't so sure about anything anymore.

Thinking about Ichigo stopped her from giving up though. He hadn't just thrown in the towel when it had become dangerous and strenuous to save her.

Now it was her turn to return the favour, no matter the cost. After all, she had to do it! Remembering their General's latest order, she bit her lip.

"_Surely, Aizen plans to influence Kurosaki-san, maybe even brainwash him, so that he will be loyal to the traitor. Should that ever happen, you have to kill him immediately and without mercy…"_

No! Her friend was strong and would do everything for his friends! How could the others even think about doing that?

She would never allow anything like that to happen! Even if she had to kill that bastard Aizen herself to get the boy to his senses, she would, just to save him from certain death. And if that meant that she had to fight a hopeless, brutal war, so be it.

"Rukia-san!"

Hearing the call too late, she turned around, seeing a Hollow ready to slash her to pieces. There was nothing she could do anymore.

Waiting for the pain, she screwed her eyes shut…only to open them again when nothing happened. Blue irises, so very much like her own, regarded her silently, calming her in a way nothing else could.

"Nii-sama…" she breathed, watching as he activated his Shikai.

"Don't day-dream during battle!" he snapped lowly.

Nodding, she lifted her sword, which she had found earlier, once again.

--Scene shift, same time--

It began with just a chaste touch, their lips barely making contact, but it was more than enough for the confused teenager to panic.

What the hell was Aizen doing? Did he want to fuck with his mind some more? This whole situation felt so bizarre to him!

Although he felt awkward, his body seemed to know what to do, because his eyes closed automatically. Even though he in- and exhaled through his nose, he felt breathless. Maybe this was the other's new technique to steal his breath?

Then, the brunet deepened the kiss and a whole new set of feelings raged in Ichigo. Anxious, the boy tried to get free, but arms wrapped around his lower back and only held him tighter, making escape impossible. Sighing, the orange-haired male ceased his struggles.

Was this how a kiss had to feel- soft, gentle, and full of an emotion he couldn't describe? Filled with the brunette's flavour, a mixture of spices and sweets?

Before he could scold himself for this own thoughts, a tongue traced the outline of his lips, making his stomach flutter and his legs tremble, as an electric shock ran up his spine.

Unsure of what to do, he just stayed like that, relishing in all the emotions he felt for a moment.

--Scene shift--

Aizen barely suppressed the moan that threatened to escape his mouth. Kissing his angel was like drowning in the finest and sweetest wine, only so much better.

His own lips were tingling, little bolts of pleasure running through him. Kurosaki Ichigo's lips, he couldn't help but notice, were too soft, tasted far too good to belong to a mere human.

This boy really had to be an ethereal being fallen from heaven because you couldn't describe him as anything other than that.

Seeing his face from so close, the long, black eyelashes that hid those striking eyes, the soft tinge of pink on those dainty cheeks, the cute, little nose…

It made the brunet shudder all the more. So this was what the feeling called love was like, that magical emotion so many worshiped as a sacred gift.

Of course he had kissed before, to see what others liked about it. Although he had found it entertaining then, never had he felt quite like this.

It could only be described as perfection. Longingly, he caressed his sweetheart's face, nudging the other's lips with his tongue, softly asking for entrance.

Unfortunately, that seemed to be the moment his captive came to his senses again, for he pushed him away harshly.

With that angry expression, that gorgeous shade of red on his face, and the harsh panting, his love could only be described as cute. Allowing himself a smirk, the brown-eyed man waited for the outbreak that was sure to follow.

Well, it had been worth it, even though he caught himself staring longingly at that soft pink mouth again. He rather missed the feeling of kissing those lovely lips.

What he hadn't expected, though, was for the other to stop for a moment and yelp in pain, before just collapsing. Aizen managed to catch him just before his body hit the ground.

"Kurosaki-san? Wake up…"

His voice broke off as he realised that the redness in the other's cheeks wasn't caused by embarrassment, but by a fever.

"Ichigo!"

--Scene shift--

For a millisecond, he had been all too willing to part his lips, to let the other in, just to see what other feelings Aizen could awake within him.

'Yeah, let him just stick his tongue down your throat!'

That was, until his Hollow's voice made him realise the painful truth again. Here he was, letting his enemy kiss him!

They should be having a death-or-life battle right now, not making out with each other! Gathering all his strength, he shoved the other off of him, panting harshly.

Somehow, he felt very faint all of a sudden…He could just barely make out the brunet's smug expression. Something poisonous, dark seemed to be spreading throughout his body, consuming him. No! This couldn't happen! He had to stay awake, had to…

Lips, thin and perfect in their shape, formed words, but he couldn't understand them. Every noise seemed to have vanished suddenly, leaving behind only a weird feeling that was gradually numbing his body.

Even breathing was becoming hard, like even that simple act was too much for his drained power.

Before his eyes slowly closed, he again caught sight of his enemy's darker orbs. This time, though, they weren't frozen.

Something he couldn't describe had lightened their colour, making them resemble a pool of molten gold.

It couldn't end like this…He had to protect his friends; he had to ask Aizen what the hell he had been doing! Consciousness left him after that and his mind was thrown into darkness. The last thing he heard was someone calling his name.

--Scene shift--

Kon had always known that he was an unlucky fellow. What else could he be? He was stuck in the shape of a stuffed animal, for crying out loud!

And the facings sewed on and for him didn't help placate his displeasure considering his arrangement. Still, as long as he could see Onee-chan and Inoue-chan, he wouldn't complain. But now…

"I'm absolutely doomed!" the modified soul screeched in his mind.

Really, how had he ended up here? Looking around, he shivered. No, this wasn't good. Not at all! To be fair, the room he was in wasn't as bad as it could have been.

There was a nice-looking bed, two armchairs, and even a bathroom, but the person that was in the chamber with him kind of ruined the good impression.

Really, who had creepy eyes like that anyway? Green and unblinking, they strongly reminded him of a cat that was about to show its claws.

Hopefully, this specimen was harmless. At least for him, the poor helpless toy. Suddenly, he was grabbed and freed from the uncomfortable position he had been in. Instead, he was softly placed on the bed and the face of his enemy closed in on his own.

"Wait here, little bear. I'll come back later," the man said, standing up again and turning around.

Watching the other leave, the plushie sighed in relief. Then his anger got the better of him and he hopped up and down, although it didn't look all that intimidating.

"Wait?! Of course I won't wait! Baka! What does someone like him need a stuffed animal for, anyway?" he growled to himself.

Jumping down from the bed, he ran for the door. This Ulquiza guy or whatever he was called would be in for a surprise!

--World of Ichigo's mind--

"_Stupid bastard! What did you do?" Ichigo yelled. _

_Why was he here, inside his mind, in his Hollow's world? And why was his spiritual body slowly but surely disappearing?_

"_How should I know?" his Hollow hissed back, looking annoyed._

"_You'll have to ask Zangetsu that, because I'm not your stupid slave! I told you, didn't I? That I'll only do what benefits me. As long as you're not dying, don't come here and whine about your problems!" his white copy huffed. _

_Grabbing his other half's clothing, he glared at him angrily._

"_What if I am dying, then?" the teenager snarled out, clearly enraged._

"_You seem fine to me. There's nothing to worry about…"_

"_Nothing to worry about? I'm freaking vanishing!" the orange-haired Shinigami shrieked. _

_After saying that, he clenched his hands in his hair, holding his head that felt like it was about to explode. All around him, buildings were breaking apart. _

_Finally, his dark side noticed the condition he was in and faltered in his movements. _

"_Don't you dare die! It'll be real trouble for me! Now you'll concentrate all your energy on summoning Zangetsu, he'll know…"_

_Ichigo didn't get the chance to hear what exactly Zangetsu would know; the rest of his body had disappeared already._

_Nonetheless, his nameless Hollow's shrill cries echoed in his ears long after that._

--Flashback/dream--

_Ichigo sighed. They hadn't come today. Where were the two nice Misters he had befriended? For two months now he had been secretly meeting the two men that had introduced themselves as Aizen Sosuke and Ichimaru Gin. _

_He liked them; they always told him stories, did exciting things with him or just comforted him. Although they seemed a bit weird at times. _

_Just a few days ago, when they had come to meet him again, their expressions had been more serious than usual. Yuzu hadn't even noticed them! _

_And when he had greeted them, they had stared at him intently. Then, after he had offered for them to go to the park, he had noticed something else. _

_No one around them appeared to realize they existed. Nobody even glanced at Gin-san's weird hair-colour like they normally did. The brunet hadn't even given him his beautiful smile, something that had made the child sad. _

_Maybe he had angered them? Had he done something wrong? And now, they hadn't come for him for such a long time! Surely that meant they had to be furious! Or had they just gotten bored with him?_

"_Ichi-nii, what are you doing?" Karin asked, startling him momentarily. _

_Swirling around, he looked at her angrily before running to the door._

"_Nothing. I'm going for a walk!" he called. _

_Letting all his frustration out felt good, he decided as he sprinted as fast and as long as he could. Eventually, after his lungs threatened to explode, he stopped, gazing around. The neighbourhood he was in was unknown to him._

_Maybe he should have remembered the way better? But all he had thought of had been how to make himself feel well again, so he hadn't done that…_

"_Hey little one, are you lost?" the voice sounded nice enough, but the figure that appeared only second later was anything but. _

_It was as tall as an adult was, maybe even taller, had a white mask that covered its face and a deformed body that was covered with red streaks._

_Its eyes couldn't be seen, only two black holes stared that at the boy. _

"_P-please don't do anything to me…" the young boy whispered pleadingly, looking with big eyes at the strange creature that had appeared. It just laughed._

"_But you will make for such a wonderful meal! Don't worry, brat, it won't hurt…much. Such an exquisite spiritual energy! Come on, I want to make your power mine…"_

_All Ichigo could do was scream as it pounced on him. _

--Present--

"This is bad! Our forces are tiring!" Unohana Retsu, the Captain of the fourth Division, yelled out over the din of the battle.

Inoue bit her lip, looking at her. They just couldn't give up now! Even though the war scared her, they had to end this once and for all!

That was the moment someone else entered the battlefield. Orihime's eyes widened; she knew that conspicuous person all too well.

Ulquiorra, a member of the Arrancar, stopped just a few metres in front of the Shinigami masses, his white clothing making him stand out even more.

"Give up now," the black-haired man's voice was strong, but held no emotion.

Some of the Death God's cried out in anger, but no one dared to openly attack the newcomer.

"For you, there is nothing to win. This is my last warning; leave, before we show you our true strength."

Hesitantly, the brown-haired girl looked around. Nobody seemed to even be considering stopping now, but she herself wasn't so sure if this was a wise idea.

The Espada waited for a moment, but when he only saw unsheathed swords, he sighed deeply.

"It is your choice and you will have to live with your decision," he muttered, before he made a strange sign.

A sharp cry could be heard and a Shinigami suddenly fell to the ground.

"If that is what you want, then let me introduce you to our new allies; the Vizards…"

(End Chapter 4)

"Beauty and sadness always go together. Nature thought beauty too rich to go forth upon the earth without a meet alloy." By George MacDonald

--Chapter 05--

--Flashback, a few days before, the Vizards' hideout—

„_I can't believe you are actually considering his offer!" Sarugaki Hiyori shrieked. _

_All members of the Vizard group had met, for a special guest had come to visit them. Grimmjow stayed silent, crossing his arms over his chest. _

_The Arrancar with the short, light blue hair and the pale eyes had been sent to make a proposal to the Vizards, for their assistance was more than welcomed by Aizen-sama, his master. _

_There was only one problem, for this group wasn't on the best of terms with Hueco Mundo. _

_Regardless of their independence, they were still Shinigami at heart and didn't like Hollows very much. Although they had been declared as Soul Society's enemies, they didn't have any ambitions to destroy the spiritual world. _

_It was an organisation that solely relied on themselves and because of that, it would be hard to convince them to join their side._

_Even though the Espada had no doubt that they would, eventually. His Lord's plans did never fail._

_This bunch of vandals looked more like they had escaped a circus, as ,unique' as they were, though. _

_Their leader was a tall, lean man with a big, stupid-looking grin constantly plastered on his face. His blond hair was smooth and reached his cheekbones in a neat hairstyle. _

_A beret, a yellow shirt with brown streaks and dark trousers completed his weird outfit. His green-brown eyes radiated intelligence, though, showing that he was an opponent one had to take seriously. What had his name been again? Ah, yes, Hirako Shinji. _

"_Well, they offer us a good reward, so why shouldn't I at least think about it?" the leader of the Vizards replied mockingly, pocking his smaller friend, who grimaced. _

_That girl was a little, but brash creature that rivalled her companion in terms of flashy appearance._

_Her hair was blond, but paler than that of her commander, also, it was pulled up into two pigtails. Constantly, her brown eyes were blazing with emotion, complimenting her bright red jacket that hid a casual white shirt. Also, there was a tiny fang on the left side of her mouth. _

_The third in the group was named Ushoda Hachigen and was the most silent one. As the physically largest one, he was the most intimidating, although he too couldn't be taken seriously, for he wore a tuxedo and had a black cross bone design in his flaringly pink hair. _

_Yadomaru Lisa was the name of a teenager girl with glasses and dark hair, which was quite long and braided. Sailor fuku, the costume she wore, was an old school uniform that was mostly white and dark blue. _

_Muguruma Kensei stood next to her, quietly observing the situation. _

_With his short, light grey hair, the several piercings, the baseball jersey and the cargo pants, he looked like a punk. Apart from the other, two other men were busy talking to each other._

_Apart from Hachigen, they seemed to be the eldest members. _

_One was an effeminate person with long, wavy, blond hair and a frilly shirt, the other looked quite bizarre, as he was a tall guy sporting sunglasses, a spiked Afro and a jogging suit. _

_Last but not least, there was another female in the room, a childish-looking girl with goggles in the short, green hair and a white bodysuit, which had orange boots and highlights. _

_In Grimmjow's opinion, they didn't seem like they would be able to help much, but judging just by looks could be dangerous. _

_Seeing them getting more and more worked up because of their petty argument, though, made him really consider his theory again that they were just pushovers. _

"_Those aren't honest people! They will betray us as soon as we aren't of use anymore!" the small child with the pigtails yelled at the moment, one of her hands gripping her sword. _

"_Have you forgotten what they will give us in return? And I think we can handle them very well in an emergency, so we'll be fine!" Shinji-san shot back. _

_Both of their faces were red, they angrily glared at each other. Some of their teammates shook their heads; others watched the whole display with mild disinterest. _

_Eventually, Love; the man with the tall glasses stopped the upcoming battle, placing one hand on the blond girl's shoulder._

"_We will do what our leader says, as always. But…this is a decision that is really important, so why don't we do the usual when we're not of the same opinion?"_

_If it wouldn't have looked so cowardly, Grimmjow would have made his leave at this point, because deep inside, he knew that what was about to come couldn't be good, not at all. _

--flashback, a bit later--

„_What are we going to do here again?" the blue-haired man asked carefully._

_Kensei smiled at him cheerfully, at least as brightly as someone that serious-looking could._

"_We will compete against each other and the winner will decide if we join you or not. Easy, isn't it? And should we end up not becoming your ally, we will simply beat the shit out of you!" the Hiyori brat interfered, grinning manically to herself. _

_Rolling his eyes, Grimmjow snorted. He hadn't forgotten the defeat he had suffered through by the hands of that blond, ditzy-looking leader, but that didn't mean that they could threaten him like that._

"_So, you are going to fight against each other?" _

_It seemed logical to him, for that was the way the Hollows determined their ranks. _

_For his suggestion, though, he only earned some blank, incredulous stares that didn't bode well with him. What had he done wrong now to earn their displeasure? Hypocrites! _

"_Of course not! Don't you know what this is? It's an amusement park! Here, we are going to hold competitions like who can drive the roller caster the most times without puking, who wins a stuffed animal at the shooter galleries, things like that!" Love answered eventually._

_Somehow, that sounded even more stupid._

_Well, he had known from the beginning that this bunch of idiots could only have an underdeveloped IQ._

_Gazing around again, the Arrancar frowned. These Vizards were didn't differ from humans in any way, it seemed. _

"_Go on then, do your…whatever, just be quick," he sighed. There was no use in objecting, so he would just calmly watch how they made even more fools out of themselves…_

"_I think bluey got things wrong again," the green-haired disaster giggled, before she attached herself to his arm. Shaking her off turned out to be futile, so he settled on growling. _

"_I don't quite follow your way of thinking," he huffed grudgingly. _

"_Isn't that clear? It's you wanting something from us, so you're going to play against us all! Shall you win the majority of our challenges, we will help you!" Mashiro chuckled._

_Rubbing his aching temples with his one free hand, the blue-eyed male shook his head._

"_That's not what I came here for. I'm a Hollow, not some toy. _

_Either you accept, or you refuse. Also, we can fight, the option I personally prefer, but I will not degrade myself like that."_

_For him, it was getting harder and harder to stay calm. The urge to just tear them to shreds was all mighty, but he couldn't screw up on this job, or he would lose his position as he sixth Espada once and for all._

_Damn those clowns for making things so hard!_

"_Your choice. But know that we will consider you an enemy should you decline," Shinji-san replied carelessly, his stupid grin becoming wider with the minute, showing perfectly white teeth. _

_Inwardly cursing the whole troupe and imagining an all too painful death for them, Grimmjow nodded darkly. _

_Had mortals been able to see him, they would have made a run for it, that was for sure. Like things were, though, the Vizard's calmly accompanied him into the amusement park. _

--scene shift--

"_The first task will be the proof that nothing can agitate you…The roller coaster of doom, together with Mashiro-chan," Hirako-bastard, the new name he had for the blond leader, explained. Crushing his jaw together, the Espada followed the cheerful green-haired girl, who squeaked excitedly, taking one of the front seats. Imitating her, Grimmjow braced himself. _

_This would be easy; there was nothing that could squash him, especially not some rotten human technology. _

_Eventually, the machine jerked, giving the man an uneasy feeling, before his seat together with himself in it, was lifted. _

_Next to him, the Vizard chick creaked, raising her arms in the air like a four-years old child. Higher and higher they were transported, until the Arrancar thought that he could nearly touch one of those fluffy, white clouds. _

_Not that it bothered him, why should he be afraid of being in midair? Was that all? What an absurd challenge, really. _

_Abruptly, they stopped. Looking down, the blue-haired male gulped. Sure, there were rails that lead down, but…that couldn't mean?!_

_Apparently, it did, for one moment later, they were falling. Somehow, it felt like someone had punched his stomach, for his insides clenched painfully. _

_What…the hell…was…this…devil's device? Was he going to die now? Like that? Closing his eyes, he waited for the impact, but it never came. _

_Instead, they were turned upside down, the world was upside down. Distantly, he could see the others grinning faces…_

_Or did he only imaging it? Three looping, he had to endure, before their way downwards continued. _

_Finally, finally, after five minutes of horror, they stopped, down on the safe ground again. That bitch next to him had the guts to laugh in joy, while his head swirled and a nauseous feeling washed over him._

_Hiyori lifted an eyebrow._

"_You're tougher than you look, aren't you? Well, it's only the beginning, so don't get cocky. Mashiro here can bear fifty rounds until she loses interest…" Thus, his trip in hell continued…_

--A bit later--

"_I didn't think you would make it so far…But it seems like that was too easy for you…" Shinji, aka bastard, said thoughtfully, one hand on his chin. _

_Snorting, Grimmjow tried his best not to puke. What kind of girl had that been? He had only won because she had seen a cute, pink plush bear._

_Something the man was very glad about, because he surely wouldn't drive with a thing like that roller coaster again. Torture was nothing against that!_

"_Let's go on then. ,Saccharine agony', the endeavour that shows that you can take whatever the enemy throws your way. This time, Hachi will be your opponent."_

_Staring at the silent giant, the blue-eyed Espada grew a bit more confident. Sure, getting hit by someone this big might hurt, but he was accustomed to pain, so this would be easier…_

"_To win, you have to eat more than him! _

_This sugary, pink stuff is called cotton candy. Our friend here can wolf down one hundred of them. So do your best, bluey!" _

_Hissing warningly when he heard the nickname, the spiky-haired warrior drew his eyebrows together. Somehow, the aspect of having to eat something right now didn't sound so good, but he would manage, he always did. _

_Warily, he took one of those candyflosses in his hands, spinning it around slightly, before he took a hesitant bite. _

_Coughing harshly, he instantly spit it out again, grimacing in disgust_ _when the overly sweet taste lingered in his mouth._

"_What the hell is this?! It's rotting my teeth with just one mouthful!" he screeched._

"_Hurry up, Hachi is already on his tenth one…"_

_Groaning, Grimmjow did as he was told, continuing to eat. After all, it was all for the greater goal, he couldn't give up because something tasted absolutely horrible…_

--Scene Shift--

_Had he been a mortal, the grumpy Espada decided sulking, he would have to tear out his teeth now. Like that, he wouldn't eat anything sweet for a few years. _

"_A tie? I'm impressed! But don't rest on your laurels, because the hard things are just about to come! The third task: catching fish! This time, all you have to do is to take this little mesh here and to trap some fish with them. Be careful, though, it's not as easy as it looks…our lovely Lisa-chan here will be your enemy," the blond leader smiled._

_Roughly, the blue-haired man nodded, not even sparing the others a glance._

_Surely, they had a good time, unlike him!_

_Gazing in the crystal clear water, he smirked._

_This time, nothing would go wrong!_

_How utterly wrong he was. After all, the nets were made out of paper and it was common knowledge that this material broke easily in water…_

_The only one not knowing that was a certain Arrancar, who lost horribly, after the bespectacled woman caught all fish in the little pool._

_In the end, he was ready to kill something, but he tried to stay calm. After all, his time for revenge would surely come sooner or later…_

"_Doesn't seem like you have the character-trait you require for this exercise…immoveable composure."_

_For that statement, he would have nearly strangled that grinning, bastardly fool. _

--Scene Shift--

"_Three down, three more to go! Are you ready?"_

_No, he wasn't. After this day, he didn't think of the Vizards as pushovers anymore, that was for sure. Because apparently, they had planned all of this to make him mad. _

_There couldn't be another reason. Compared to his later jobs, the first three had been fairly easy._

_After that, he had to show his skills at the shooting gallery, where both Hiyori and Love, the one with the glasses, had given him a hard time. _

_Seemed like the energetic, pig-tailed brat wasn't above cheating, like stomping on his foot at the right moment, to win. He partner's encouraging cries hadn't helped one bit to silence his temper._

_That's why he hadn't been surprised when they had beaten him. Still, he would make sure to remember their dirty play for later. _

_If Aizen-sama wouldn't at least appreciate his effort, he would go on a killing rampage later on, that was for sure. Not that he wouldn't do so anyway. _

_Well, after this humiliation, another had followed. Here, he had to seduce women to go in the tunnel of love with him. _

_Although he wasn't a womaniser, some females seemed to love his bad-guy attitude and, luckily for him, his opponent, Rose, was so efficient that most Ladies had mistaken him for a chick, so that he had been slapped quite often. _

_Now, with two wins and losses and one tie, everything depended on the last competition. And this one hadn't been like he had expected it…_

--Still flashback, some time later--

"_All we will do is to enter that weird vehicle…it was called Ferris wheel? Is that all?" he asked suspiciously. _

_By know, he was aware of the fact that nothing could possibly so easy with the Vizards. Nonetheless, the bastard-leader smiled and nodded. _

_Yielding up to his fate, the Espada let himself be guided to that roundabout thing. Shinji chose one cabin and the ride began. _

_Unlike the roller coaster, this time, their journey was nice and slow and he actually allowed himself to relax the tiniest of bits, looking out of the window._

_It was getting darker and, combined with the lights that shone brightly; the landscape was surely a beautiful sight. _

_Not that he cared for things like that, but there was nothing better to do. _

_Glaring at the blond opposite to him would have been fine, too, but that would have been rude and he wanted them as allies, after all. Life sure could be cruel sometimes…_

_Suddenly, the feeling of steel pressed against his throat interrupted his thoughts. Cool, green-brown orbs stared into his own, rigidly; they wanted to get a message across._

_Tensely, he waited. _

_What would happen next? A fight? Or had all this been only a charade to kill him when he wasn't paying enough attention?_

"_Just so that we understand each other…those guys mean everything to me. I won't put them in danger because of some petty offerings. Should I ever get the feeling that one of them is in danger, then I won't hesitate to betray and kill you," the young male said stoically. You could see from his demeanour that he was absolutely serious._

_The Arrancar waited patently; only to survey how the other leaned back, now back to grinning his old, stupid smile._

"_Now that this is clear, let's enjoy ourselves some more!" the blond laughed._

"_And the…task…?" the blue-haired Hollow muttered darkly, growling at his companion. _

"_Come on, that was only so that we could get to know each other a bit more! You didn't take that soberly, did you? Although I am impressed that you could eat as much of that sweet stuff as Hachi…"_

"_So, it has all just been a game?"_

_A wince._

"_Yes? We can't refuse, you have one of us in your ranks after all, Kurosaki Ichigo…"_

"_You were toying with me…"_

"_Calm down! It wouldn't do to blow up the stall!"_

--scene shift--

_Tugging one big, puppy-eyed tiger plushie behind his own body, Grimmjow sighed._

_How should he tell Aizen-sama and the other Arrancar about his embarrassing day without being humiliated for the rest of his life? _

--scene shift--

_Hiyori watched her leader, as he was carelessly sprawled out at the ground. His left cheek was glowing in a bright, angry red that was very conspicuous._

"_So, you seem to have enjoyed yourself…" she sighed, shaking her head wildly, so that her wild mane flew in the air. _

"_You could say that…He's pretty interesting, that guy," Shinji chuckled._

"_Don't tell me you confessed your love to him, like you did to all those girls…"_

"_What are you thinking of me?! He isn't some beautiful woman, so of course not!!"_

"_But you never told me that you love me! And I'm simply gorgeous, so you have to into men and you're only trying to hide it!"_

"_You little-"_

_So, just like that, the Vizards joined. _

_Although they are on no one's side exactly, only on their own, they couldn't forgot what Soul Society had done to them and if that meant that your enemy's fiend is your friend, then so be it._

(End Chapter 5)


	4. Forever Yours Part 4

--Chapter 06--

_--Ichigo's dream/flashback—_

„_Don't touch me! Help!" little Ichigo gasped, trying to fend the attacker off, but he was much smaller than the stranger, so that it was a wild-goose chase. _

_White fangs, glittering in the sunlight, were bared, making the child all the more frightened._

_What was that thing? Could that be really a human? _

_Never had he seen a person like this. Sure, there had been weird, transparent-looking figures occasionally, but they had all seemed somewhat sad. All this beast radiated was bloodlust. _

_Panicky, he tried to hold the razor sharp teeth away from his body and his face, but that only hurt his hands and amused the cruel being all the more. _

_Blood flew down his fingers, dripping on his cheeks. There, they mixed with the salty tears of desperation the boy had cried. Why was he always so weak? _

_He hadn't been able to save his mother and now, he couldn't even protect his own miserable life. Sharp, unforgiving eyes glowed down to him, only silent mockery and insatiable hunger written in them. Sobbing quietly, the little one lost his hope bit by bit. _

_Nobody was hearing him or coming to his rescue. _

_Fright settled in the pits of his stomach, but there was nothing he could do, for his resistance was weakening with the minutes passing by. Judging by the wicked grin on his assaulter's face, it knew this, too. _

_And it enjoyed torturing him; it desired to see his face crumbling in torment. For it, everything was probably just a game that it played with its food. Dropping his arms to the ground, the child made one last desperate attempt to get help somehow._

"_Please…help…" he whispered, but his voice was far too weak, nobody but him did hear it._

_Resigning, he closed his amber eyes slowly. _

_So, this was the end. Soon, he would see his mother again. Why couldn't he see them for one last time? _

_Karin, Yuzu, Dad, Aizen-san, who he had to ask for forgiveness for whatever he had done…Aizen-san…he wanted to gaze at his special smile again and if then, a second would become an eternity, he wouldn't care…_

_Biting his lip, his body went lax, awaiting the coming pain. Just one word flashed into his mind, as sharp canines bore into his flesh. Goodbye…_

--Present, Hueco Mundo--

"It's good that we made the Vizards our allies, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to take a look at him," Halibel remarked.

She was a weird-looking Hollow with brown skin and blond hair; also, she was the only female Arrancar at the moment.

Not that she cared, for her strength and silent behaviour were equally infamous.

Sighing, she looked at the motionless person in the big double bed. Normally sun-kissed skin was pale, almost frighteningly so.

The vibrant orange hair made the sick, pale tone all the more visible. That was why it wasn't a surprise that her Lord looked more serious than usually.

If you looked closer, you could even see a wrinkle on his forehead.

Stroking the hot, sweaty temples of the ill Shinigami, the Espada drew her eyebrows together in thought, before she turned around to her Aizen-sama.

"This is bad. Apparently, the King's Reijatsu influences him more than normal people. We will have to activate an equal force to cure him."

Nodding sharply, the brunet spent her a pensively glance, before he answered.

"Could that be a power from inside his body too?" he asked slowly.

Thinking about that a moment, the woman-like creature crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's possible, but you have to be aware that we need a huge energy in this case…"

"I have no choice then," the former Shinigami Captain mused, before he approached the bed, touching his captive's forehead with two fingers.

There was a blinding flash, before the teenager's eyes opened and a pained cry escaped his slightly opened mouth.

Fascinated by the display, Halibel watched as chocolate-brown eyes lightened and gleamed in a mysterious, sinister golden.

Then, the mortal's whole body seemed to transform, every pigment disappeared…and left was a being with white hair and skin and a wicked grin…

"I'm free? No, this can't be…What-"

--Ichigo's Dream/flashback--

"…_A lovely spiritual force you have…come on, little delicacy, let me devour you whole…"_

_Bawling, the boy looked at his bleeding arm. It hurt so much…why couldn't it stop already?_

_Did that thing even now try to toy with him?_

_And did he feel so utterly alone? He had never wished to end like this, without compensating for his mother's death…_

_When it took his other arm, ready to crush it too, he screwed his eyes shut, grinding his teeth together._

"_Prepare yourself!" it hissed, before it attacked him forcefully again. No! Couldn't someone come? Wasn't he worth enough?_

_Never had he wanted to die here! But there was nothing he could do, as the monster assailed him again and again._

_Painfully and slowly, it broke the bones in his arms and legs, before it monitored his battered form for a moment, baring its teeth in an abstract half-smile._

_Noticing the sparkling tears that were still escaping his eyes, it tenderly brushed them away, only to cut in the soft flesh under his eyes a moment later._

_Ichigo was too far away to do more than to whimper lowly. _

_When it looked like he was crying red tears, it was satisfied with its work and continued his onslaught, sinking his fangs into the fragile line of his neck._

_Saucer-eyed, the child cried and whined, as his blood was sucked away from him. As his pulse weakened, he knew that he would only last a few more moments._

_Imagining the humans so dear to him, his breath stagnated and the frantic beating of his heart slowed, before it stopped altogether. _

_From far away, he could see his own corpse lying on the ground._

_At that moment, he knew that he had just been killed and nobody would be able to help him anymore. Blackness surrounded him, before he dissipated into the blackness. _

--Present--

"Hollow?" Halibel whispered. Technically, that couldn't be, but the proof was standing right in front of her, surveying his own body as if seeing it for the first time.

The figure's Hollow mask was affixed on the white uniform, that resembled that of a Shinigami, only that the colours were reversed.

A big, unhandy weapon was on his back. Instead of the ,normal appearance' most humanoid Espadas had, this one would never be mistaken for a mortal.

Black encircled the formidable golden of his irises instead of the usual white.

His skin was white, paler than even the walls behind him, as was his spiky hair. Though he uncannily resembled Kurosaki Ichigo, those two could only be described as absolute contrasts. Only by looking at that wide, cocky grin, that had began to form on the shadow's face, you could tell.

"Has he finally kicked the bucket? I told him it would be troublesome for me…" the creature sighed, playing with his own fingers thoughtlessly, like a young child would.

"I called you," Aizen replied guardedly, his eyes nothing more than hardened jewels.

Instantly, a laugh, bordering on insanity, escaped the lush lips, while the female Arrancar concentrated on the ghost's black fingernails.

Somehow, she had a bad feeling about this one. He didn't seem like the others of their kind. So, why did make him different?

Terrifying even? And that grin…it sent chills down her spine, for it seemed to be full of uttermost confidence. What monstrous skills did that being hide?

Or was it just bluffing? Normally, when facing their master, not even the strongest of them would behave like that.

"Why would you do that?" the white-haired man inquired childishly.

Her Lord stayed calm, but his facial expression was stony, she hadn't seen him like this for a long time.

"Isn't that clear?" the brunet challenged darkly, shifting a bit, before he turned around.

"You want me to play big rescuer for little, weak King then? And what is in for me? Surely, you're aware that I'm not one of your little suckers-" he pointed at Halibel with a careless wave of his hand when he said that, "So you have to offer me something of equal value, something that is interesting enough for me so that I will go through that strain…"

"As far as I can tell, you are connected in a unique way. Should Ichigo-san actually die…" the leader of Hueco Mundo let his voice fade away, so that the rest of his sentence couldn't be heard, but the Hollow apparently understood, for he hissed like a wounded animal.

"Cleverer than I thought you to be, aren't you? Still, you have forgotten one important way: I could just wait until his mind is mortified and then, it would be easy to take over his body…"

"I have no choice then. There is something I can give you that you desire…"

Deliberate words were whispered into the creature's ear.

Seeing those rare orbs gleam intensely for a moment, Halibel knew that the white-skinned man wouldn't refuse whatever bargain her Lord had made.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a certain unease about that pact.

What was so important about that Shinigami boy that someone like Aizen would go so far?

--Little Ichigo's inner world—

_Ichigo was drowning in darkness. Slowly, he was disappearing and that feeling scared him. All his memories were vanishing._

_One moment, they were replaying before his eyes, before he couldn't remember them anymore._

_And like that, everything that had made him to who he was dissipated. His mother smiled kindly before she turned around. He cried. _

_Aizen's dark eyes were looking at him for the first time. Then, they were replaced by nothingness. Again, he yelled, wanting the memento to come back to him, to be safe within his heart forever. _

_Gin's silver hair shone softly under the full moon. _

_In the next moment, that picture left his mind and he screwed his irises shut, wishing that this torture would finally end._

_Already, he had lost the will to shout and beg, nothing but that endless black was left, surrounding him, suffocating him with its absoluteness._

_Brown orbs dilated, as awareness left his spiritual body. His soul would soon be nothing more than another part of the dark._

_At least, those were his thoughts, before something entirely else caught his attention. There, shimmering just faintly was a white orb…No, that wasn't right, it was a person basked in light, coming for him!_

_Though he could only see the contours of the stranger, warmth and coldness both flooded his senses. Concentrating, he tried to command his hand to stretch, to take the other's one, but it wouldn't move._

_For a moment, despair washed over him again. Then, however, the glimmering being began to talk, it's tone one of mockery, but also honest._

"_You don't want to stay here forever, right?" it asked lowly, coming to a halt just mere centimetres in front of him. _

_Maybe it was only his imagination, but for a moment, he thought golden pools were looking at him intensely. A second later, however, they blended in with the whiteness again. Nodding, hoping that the creature would understand, he showed his approval. _

_Only silence reigned over the nothingness, before the human-like shadow laughed._

"_Isn't it clear then, King? All you have to do is to break out!" it cackled._

_Due to default of any other option, the child tried to mouth ,how?', but that was hard, considering that he couldn't feel his lips, or any other part of his body when he was at it._

"_Man, mortals are ignorant, aren't they? If you combine life and death, how could there ever be nothing? Even someone like you could have answered that question," it jeered._

_Now at a total loss, the boy could only shrug weakly. How the hell should he manage that?_

"_Grab my hand, come on! Easy, right?" the figure continued mockingly. Mobilising all his strength, Ichigo tried to do so, but he failed. _

_His whole corpse was stiff and he didn't know if he even possessed a hand anymore. Could you really will something to move that wasn't there to begin with?_

_Tears of frustration were beginning to seep through his half-closed eyes._

_His effort haltered, his mind became hazy. Maybe, this was his destiny after all, he wasn't supposed to live. _

_So it would be the best to stay here, to forgot all worry, sadness and fright…_

"_Don't come me with that pathetic face, partner! You will take my hand now and there is nothing that can stop you from doing so!_

_After all, if you were to die, I would be in trouble too…" Someone needed him? To someone, he was important?_

_There had been persons that had loved him, but he couldn't remember their faces or names anymore…_

_Though this creature just said that it needed him, right? So maybe, his existence wasn't completely in vain, after all…and it had said that he had a face, so he had to have a hand too…_

_The darkness engulfing them exploded in different shades of colours as their fingers met and intertwined._

_Sighing, the being shook its head, but there was a big, wide grin on its face. It looked exactly like him, only older. _

"_You're a handful, do you know that? Why do I always have to correct your mistakes?"_

--Present, Earth--

Yuzu folded her hands in her lap, before she bit her lip. In front of her, her cold meal stood. She hadn't been able to infringe it after all; her worry was just too great.

Where was her brother? He hadn't come home for two days and still; there was no sign, no message.

Only Rukia-chan's airy promise that he was okay.

It didn't keep her frights at bay. Why did nobody understand? After all, she only had one Onii-san, who had protected her, who had bandaged her wounds with a smile, who had complimented her food, who had let her sleep in his bed…

Now he was gone and she couldn't help but feel miserable and strangely helpless.

The other members of their family were faring better. Karin had told her with the usual stoic expression that Ichigo was old enough to know what he did.

And their father was away on a seminar. Although she had considered it briefly, she hadn't phoned him yet.

Even though he always smiled and acted stupid, the girl knew he was troubled too. Burdening him anymore would be horrible.

So, she was alone with her doubts and anxiety. Sometimes, she even imagined that she could her the ticking of the cloak. As if time was running out and when it did, something terrible would happen.

Hopefully, that was just because she was such a worrywart. Hadn't her Onii-san complained about that once?

Now, that seemed like that had been long ago. Sighing deeply, she stood up, putting the untouched lunch away with experienced handholds.

Of course she had enough practised when it came to cleaning and cooking, she had kept the house since her mother's death.

What brought her to one question that had been engraved in her mind since her brother's mysterious disappearance.

"_After Mum's…funeral…were there ever two strangers visiting us?"_

"_So you really don't remember two tall men, one with unusual silver hair?"_

"_Don't you remember them? One had dark hairs and eyes, the other looked like a fox…"_

What had been his reason for asking those things?

He had queried them, just one day before…

Normally, he didn't like to speak about their mother, so why now?

Was there a connection between his lately thoughtfulness and him running away from home? No, she thought, rubbing her hands absently, he wouldn't just leave them without notifying them.

But…Kidnapping? Hardly possible…they weren't that rich that it would be worthwhile.

Entering her and Karin's room, she looked around. Here, unlike in most parts of their house, it was tidy and everything was on his place neatly, what hadn't been her twins doing, that was for sure.

The black-haired tomboy was at least as bad as their older sibling when it came to tidying. Looking at the desk in the middle of their chamber, her breath stopped for a moment.

Something told her that there was something she had forgotten…

Approaching the desk slowly, almost unbelievingly, she stroked over the solid material for a moment, before she opened the drawer with quivering fingers.

Though the only things she found were insignificant, some old homework and school material, many papers…and an old photograph album.

Flipping it open, she glanced at the photos inside. Some showed their family, smiling and laughing, their mother in the middle.

Others showed one of them with friends, then their parents, kissing each other…and on the last page, there was a battered picture.

Smiling, she took it out to take a better look at it. In the past, Ichigo had loved to draw, as insane as it sounded.

All three siblings would paint something and give it the others.

This painting showed Ichigo, small and in the middle, unmistakably because of the orange colour that had been used. Above him, the sun shone brightly and his stickman arms were lifted in the air.

Next to him, on the right and left, two men stood.

Yelling, she let the piece of paper fly out of her hand, as she sunk to her knees. What she had forgotten, here was the proof that it had been important…

No doubt, they were the two persons her Onii-san had asked about. While a dark-haired male had his arms partly around her brother, the other just grinned, his hair a rare white-silver.

Both of their gazes seemed to be directed to her, as if to say: How could you ever think we wouldn't return?

Yes, of course she knew them, but she had tried to erase them, because of what they had done.

Her brother had trusted them and then, a few months after they had appeared, _it_ had happened and that incident had destroyed everything…

--Ichigo's dream/flashback—

„_What is so special about you? Why can't I devour your spiritual power??" the Hollow screeched, looking at the motionless figure on the ground. _

_Some of the child's blood was dripping on the ground, the redness dulled on the asphalt ground. _

_For a moment, it simply monitored the human boy, before it approached it again carefully, closing the distance in between them with two big steps._

_Its two black holes that had once been its eyes never left the little one's face, which was calm, serene in death, reminding of a porcelain doll._

"_If you want to hide your Readjust that hard, I just have to eat you whole…" it whispered._

_Never would it have thought what reaction its work would entail, for amber eyes opened suddenly, looking into nothingness. Their brilliance was lost, they looked at it dully, but it sent chills down the monster's spine. _

_Hadn't that brat died already? Yes, the unmistakably proof was the crimson liquid of life flowing freely down from several wounds._

_Next, there was a flash of light, before the body fell back down again. And now, there were two little humans! No, not mortals, one was, but the other wasn't. _

_Could that be a…Shinigami? _

_Certainly, he wore the black garb of the Death Gods, but something was wrong, for something white was forming at his forehead, enveloping his cheeks, temples, heck, the whole side of his left face!_

_A mask, it identified, and its breath heaved. Not a random one, but…_

"_Y-you're a Hollow?" it gasped out, looking at the white mask that had some ruby streaks on it and was spiky on the end._

_Through dark slits, animal-like, yellow irises were staring at it. _

"_Who knows? That's not for you to find out- prepare to die!" the orange-haired ghost said, pointing at it with two fingertips._

_When the beast realised the danger, it was already too late._

"_Cero!" A gigantic ball of energy hit it square in the chest and it felt how its insides were ripped apart. The last thing it ever heard was a shrill, insane laugh. _

(End Chapter 6)

„What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your loneliest loneliness, and say, 'This life which you live must be lived by you once again and innumerable times more; and every pain and joy and thought and sigh must come again to you, all in the same sequence. The eternal hourglass will again and again be turned and you with it, dust of the dust!' Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse that demon? Or would you answer, 'Never have I heard anything more divine?'" By Friedrich Nietzsche

--Chapter 7--

Memories are said to be the most precious possession a human being can have, for they are what make up the nature of a person.

Every influence, every sad or happy moment is saved deep within our brain, although we can't remember everything. That flood of information would simply overstrain us.

Though every little thing forms us in the most unique way. Aizen Sosuke was a man unlike any other. Not only was he a Shinigami, born with a hate against those of his kind, he also possessed a brilliant mind without equal.

And with that sharp, analytic intelligence, he had already figured out ages ago that the treasure of mementos could also become the greatest weapon against creatures of any sort.

To manipulate their memories meant to bend and recreate them in the way he wanted. Illusions, playing with emotions and memories…

He had mastered to gain victory without retorting to violence. Simply, his enemies would destroy themselves.

But, as it always was, he had judged too soon, too arrogantly, for it was now, staring at the pale, motionless figure in the big double bed in front of him, that he realised he shared everyone's weakness.

Remembering his angel and his brother was most crucial for him too. Now, looking at the sickly-looking body, he had to face the own abysms of his mind- his own weakness.

Never had he hesitated before, a plan had always been in the back of his mind, he had calculated millions of different outcomes for this war.

Every possibility had been considered and included- but how had he prepared for this case? Now, his reason for going on, for living, was in danger and there was so little he could do.

Watching how his precious' spiritual power weakened was agonising and disillusioning at the same time, for the first time in years, he could think clearly again, he suddenly was remembered painfully why he had dared to rebel against Soul Society.

Approaching the bedding, he allowed his traitorous hand to touch the soft skin of the boy's cheeks, all the while viewing the vulnerable being absently, as if he was seeking the reassurance that everything would be okay in the end, that the other had survived worse.

"I'm not the one playing, manipulating, they are…If I would have let you stay with them, you would have experienced it too. Their toying, their lies, all the hate their empire is built of…it deserves to be burned down! _They _should be killed for what they did to you, using you like that…" His eyes darkened, resembling the obfuscation of the sky when a storm was about to break out.

Inhaling deeply, Aizen felt the sword on his back glow softly; emit a calming aura, trying to comfort him.

Yes, he hadn't told Ichigo everything he knew about Soul Society's crimes, not nearly everything! Would he still be loyal to his friend if he found out the truth?

_--Flashback, shortly after the death of Aizen's parents--_

_The truth…such a frail, twisted and lying word. Sosuke often wondered why nobody saw that there wasn't just one truth, but only a complicated, inscrutable net of what people thought was true, so this vocal meant everything and nothing at the same time. _

_It could be changed and bend the way someone wanted. No, the truth was nothing else than a union of lies. His home, his world, was the same. _

_On the outside, it may seem bright, wonderful, beautiful even, however, it was anything but. And his parents had been part of the ugliness that hid behind a façade, he realised. _

_Now they were dead. Even now, sitting in a small white room, the place the Shinigami that had found him one day ago had brought him, he couldn't bring himself to regret killing them. Their pained screams had been nothing else than music in his ear. _

_Seeing even the weakest sign of life leave their eyes had been a satisfaction of sorts, a pay-back for all the things they had done to him, to his brother and had been about to do to his angel. _

_Kurosaki Ichigo…what was he doing now? Was he safe now? Had he already forgotten this small, unimportant boy he had met? Hopefully not, for Aizen certainly hadn't. Still, his vexation was far from over now; on the contrary, a new one had just begun._

_Of course Soul Society would be suspicious about his parents sudden death. Naturally, they couldn't prove that it had been him, but they still harboured an instinctual distrust against him. That was why they had decided to interrogate him._

_In reality, it was nothing else than torture, physical and mental torment to break his will. Should he be innocent, well, then they would have succeeded in making him obedient to their matter, at least, that had to be their train of thought._

_Shielding his head with his knees, sitting crouched; he tried to imitate a frightened, normal child his age. _

_To make it out alive, he had to act perfectly, he realised with cold efficiency. Detesting, maybe even hating them, he didn't have time for aimless feelings like that._

_Survival came first- revenge and their destruction would come next. Maybe now, they didn't have to fear anything, but he swore to himself silently, they had just made an enemy that would eventually be their downfall. _

_If not, he would do his best to damage their ideal world the best he could._

_With a click, the only door to his prison cell opened. A serious-looking man entered, showing the brunet his disfavour with a mocking sneer, before the boy's arm was seized roughly. _

"_Don't try anything stupid now, brat," the stranger spat out, "Our General has requested to see you. Be grateful that you aren't dead yet!"_

_Barely able to suppress a chuckle, Sosuke did his best to look positively scared and horrified. Inwardly, he yawned. Why should he fear death when he knew what he would gain should he win this gamble?_

_Picturing intense, gorgeous amber eyes before his own ones, his heart lit up._

_Whatever torture they had thought up for him today…he could take it, he would see it as training for later, when would have to go trough many hardships. _

_Soon, he would pay them back…_

--Another flashback, nine years before the present--

"_A Hollow! On earth! On a strong one, for that! You were ordered to take care of him…" the messenger told them excitedly. _

_He was probably a Shinigami from the sixth Division, but Aizen didn't care either way. Unease settled in the pits of his stomach. _

_Ichigo, the sweet, special child that reminded him so much of his brother was there and because of his ability, he would be one of the first targets for a Hollow…_

_How shocked had he been to find out that the lively boy possessed the power to see spirits and Death Gods. They had tested it, of course. _

_He and Gin had visited their small friend in their spiritual form. Since then, they hadn't come to see him. What if Soul Society would notice him?_

_Admittedly, he had become overprotective about his tiny sweetheart; he didn't want him to get involved just yet. So that now, he was all the more concerned about the situation. Looking at his lieutenant, who instantly nodded thoughtfully, they grabbed their swords._

_They didn't know yet what would await them, but it would become one of the blackest days in their lives. _

--Flashback end--

Aizen blinked a few times, trying to chase the daydreams away. Now was not the time to indulge in reminiscences.

To calm himself, he began to watch the object of his fascination again, surveyed how the breath escaped cherry red lips with little, puffy clouds.

Was it really so cold here? His angel seemed to freeze, for his arms were slung around his body in a protective manner, like a child would to warm his- or herself.

"Just this…you only have to suffer through this…after that, I promise you, I will always protect you…"

A soft promise. Before, he had made he hadn't been able to keep. Bitterness washed over him as an image of brown eyes, so very much like those of Kurosaki Ichigo, appeared in his mind.

"Ototo…"

--Flashback; before Aizen kills his parents--

"_Onii-san! __Look, something white is falling from heaven!" a little boy cried. His brown, spiky haired flew wildly in the wind, as he spread his arms, dancing around in circles childishly. _

_Dark, almost black irises watched him with a well-hidden fondness._

_Sosuke stretched his hales, watching the snow fell. Somehow, the flocks appeared to be so dignified, silent, almost serene. _

_And the display certainly was beautiful, but not like the teardrops were, or the raging storm, no, they held a tragedy and at the same time calming elegancy that made one's heart bloom with unfulfilled wishes. _

_It was a weather for dreamer, like his younger sibling was. Somehow, it was sad that the little one hadn't seen snow once in his life yet, until now._

_Their parents had always been stern and unfortunately, his Ototo lacked behind. His power didn't lie in combat or mental ability, no, he was special in his own way. _

"_You are no fun! Come on, play with me! I heard of an interesting game, it's called snow angel and you create one…" the smaller male babbled, still with a bright smile on his face._

"_Beri," he cut in, using the nickname he always used, "We have to go inside."_

_Pouting, the other shook his head and attempted to convince his brother otherwise by looking as cute as he could._

_Of course, it wouldn't work with someone as retained as Sosuke, but he always did try. After some moments, he lowered his head, staring at the ground._

"_That's the only time I have with you! Why does it have to be over already?" he clapped his hands in glee, "I know! If I tell you what else I saw falling from the sky, will we stay here for a bit longer?" Monitoring the spiky-haired kid suspiciously, the older brunet huffed._

"_Only so that you tell me in the end you saw rain? No thanks. Come on already, you know how mad they will be if we don't obey their orders…" His words seemed to offend his brother though, for he stuck out his tongue, before his gaze wavered to the snow again._

"_Now I'm not going to tell you what was even prettier than those!" he giggled. _

_Feeling warm inwardly, despite the coldness outside, the older sibling sighed. _

"_We can play later again," he eventually whispered, ruffling the unruly hair affectionately. _

"_Promise?" Hadn't he been so composed, he would have probably melted because of the sweet sight that greeted him._

_Sosuke nodded swiftly, burying his hands in the pockets of his jacket again. _

"_I will always be there for you, I promise that…"_

--Scene Shift--

_All too soon, other, more sinister ones replaced the fond childhood memories that had become a treasure to him. Snow fell again, but this time, it was anything but calming. _

_Well, in Aizen's opinion, bloody rain would have fit so much better. No sound, no sign of life escaped him as he stared at the tombstone he had made himself, everything felt just as frozen as he was inside. _

_Falling to his knees, he realised that nothing but hollowness was left in him. He felt nothing, he was empty. _

_All reasons for life had just vanished. And the worst was that he hadn't been able to keep his promise, he hadn't been strong enough…_

"_For that, they will pay and burn in hell. I'll make sure of that; they will suffer just as much as you did, no, a thousand times more! Everyone in Soul Society will!"_

_In only one day, he changed, everything he had been was recreated to something so twisted he himself didn't know anymore what he was._

_An avenging angel? Or a demon? Maybe even the devil? Frantically, he didn't care, not with his brother's soft smile still burned in his mind._

"_Never will I forget you. Goodbye, Sutoro…" _

--Present--

He hadn't come back to the little, improvised grave he had dug since then. One day, he would, after Soul Society had fallen, he decided.

Not now, he wouldn't be able to face his Ototo right now. Maybe not ever, if he was honest to himself. For one moment, his expression numbed.

"But then, I fucked up once again…"

--Another flashback, nine years before the present--

_After the message that there had been a Hollow attack on earth, they had immediately travelled to the blue planet. _

_Easily, they had been able to make the monster out, for its spiritual force was great, at least from what they could make out. _

_As Aizen had felt it, a plan had formed…if he could get someone with so much Reijatsu to follow him and aid him in the war; surely, he had good chances to win. _

_His mind began to calculate, to devise, like it always did when he had a flash of insight. _

_Well, that all stopped when Gin suddenly halted, his face resembling a mask of cold shock. Looking ahead, he knew why and it hit him like a bucket full of cold water._

_Of course he knew that delicate individual whose face was hidden behind a white mask. Orange hair, blowing softly in the barely existent wind, was proof enough. _

"_Ichigo-kun?" he whispered. Images flooded his spirits, visions of an older teenager that had visited him, as he had been younger, pictures of a little one that had trusted him so easily…_

"_We have to destroy him or he will devastate everything here!" his lieutenant murmured. Once again, he was nearing a bottomless pit._

_Stopping meant usually killing…Murdering his small angel? Now, just like that? Something cold settled in the pits of his stomach. Wasn't there any other way? Couldn't they do anything else?_

"_He isn't the brat anymore," Ichimaru urged, drawing his sword, which blinked shortly._

_In front of them, the masked figure laughed. It was a shrill, insane-sounding giggle._

"_Shinigami came to play with me? Come on now, I want my fun! That Hollow sent by the blue-eyed guy wasn't any challenge…" it cackled evilly. _

_There was a huge, broad __Zanpakut__ō in his hands. The elegant, cleaver blade didn't have a hilt, instead, it possessed a makeshift handle formed by a white cloth wrapped around the tang._

_Its size was gigantic, the sword was bigger than the person wielding it, but the creature didn't seem to have any problems with it. _

_Also, the being's movements were sinuous and graceful, not brutal like it was normally the case. That was not what made the brunet freeze, though._

"…_Someone with blue eyes?" he asked, his voice was firm, never wavered. A shrug was the answer, as the thing's mask grew some more, it almost covered his face completely now._

"_What does it matter? Let's fight already, I'm getting impatient! Spare the small-talk for later, if you live long enough to bother me with your questions…"_

_Nobody else could have possibly sawn Aizen's next motion, as he pressed the shaft of his Katana in the beast's neck just a millisecond after those words. _

"_Answer me!" he commanded in a calm, but deadly, tone, increasing the pressure. _

"_Don't wanna!" the Hollow spit back childishly, before he lifted two fingers._

_Seeing the danger, the Shinigami Captain barely escaped the flash of energy that broke loose just a moment later, tinting the landscape in a reddish-black. _

_Some of the people nearby, who hadn't witnessed any of the fight, screamed as a building collapsed all of a sudden. _

"_Strong!" Gin gritted out, his eyes searching his leader as he took an attack stance. _

"_We will have no choice but to-" his try to convince his Lord was cut short as the creature abruptly stopped, grabbing one side of his face like it was in pain, before it yelled._

"_Stupid? What are you doing? You can't lock me up! I'm the one in control! I'm!"_

_With determination, one hand took a hold of the mask, yanking it down with bestiality._

_Reijatsu exploded as it splintered, the little pieces shining brightly before they disappeared. _

_For a moment, the two Death Gods had the chance to see Ichigo's battered and horrified face, before he just toppled over, like standing would take too much power for the child. _

--Scene Change--

"_What have you done to him? Why did you hurt Onii-san?" the little girl welcoming them cried. Her eyes were wide and frightened as she looked at the injured bundle in Aizen's arms. _

"_Little missy, we found him like that," Gin tried to explain. Her brown eyes watered._

"_Brother hasn't done anything! He hasn't deserved anything like this! Please, bring him in his room…I have to call the ambulance…" she scrambled away, leaving the door open for them. Carefully, Aizen entered first, closely followed by his lieutenant._

_Looking around, the brunet could instantly say that this was a warm, caring family. The house was small, but comfortable and had a warm aura. Eventually, they found the child's chamber in the second floor._

_Lying him down on the bed, the brunet sighed, before he turned to the silver-haired man with a serious expression on his face that was the only proof for his anger._

"_Blue eyes…I don't think there is a mistake. That Hollow that attacked him hasn't been just a random one- he has been controlled by someone."_

"_And you already have an idea by who," the silver shadow concluded silently. _

"_Certainly I do, what is no surprise, considering what family I'm from. Everyone from a Noble Family probably worships him…the nameless God who pulls the string behind Soul Society, only distinguished by his startlingly blue eyes. Only one questions is left: Why would the Ou-sama assault a harmless kid, although it has some spiritual power? That makes no sense…At least not with the information we have…"_

_A little, pained noise interrupted their conversation. Turning their gazes to the bed, they saw what the source of it was- the boy was waking up; his amber eyes were already open, but still dulled by unconsciousness. Hesitantly, the Shinigami Captain approached him. _

"_Ichigo-kun…" Upon hearing his name, the orange-haired male whimpered, trying to make himself as small as possible, rolling himself to a trembling ball. _

"_I won't harm you," the Shinigami said a bit more forcefully than he had wanted. It only served to further scare the other, as he shook his head wildly. And exactly at that moment, Yuzu entered the room, telephone still in her hand and frowning deeply._

"_Just what do you think you're doing to him? So it was you! Leave and don't come back again!" she shouted, ignoring that she was only a frail brat, while they were two grown men. _

_All she knew was that it had to be their fault that her brother now seemed like an animal about to be slaughtered. Wrapping her arms around his shaking shoulders, she glared at the visitors. _

"_Haven't you done enough? Everything's your fault! Yours! Disappear already!!"_

--Present again--

They had never visited the boy again, for he had seemed to have forgotten them.

Maybe it had been due to the fact that he had been severely hurt, or the Hollow had messed with his head, but they had decided that had brought him enough misfortune.

So he had waited and watched, until finally, the moment came that Ichigo realised his real legacy and finally understood that he was a Death God.

"We are connected, don't you see that? So many possible pasts and in every single one, we met…" he whispered in the teenager's ear.

Yes, they were bound together by fate, their meetings hadn't been just coincidence…

--Flashback, timeline of Part One--

_The General had forced them to control earth once again. Aizen knew that Yamamoto didn't like him one bit, he even distrusted him, but he thought that he had beaten the brunet into submission._

_How wrong he was! Entertaining himself with these thoughts, he looked around. A storm had just rampaged, so the grounds were still wet and slippery, something the man hated, although lightning and thunder did fit him somehow. _

_Sighing, he came to a halt next to an old tree which crown apparently reached into the sky. Gin seemed to be just as bored as he was. Really, this wasn't work for a Captain and his lieutenant! _

"_What's this?" the silver-haired male suddenly asked, pointing at the boom his leader leaned on. Surveying the point the other tried to show him, his lips curved upwards ever so slightly._

"_There is someone in there," he answered with a smirk, kneeling down. _

_For someone with his strength, it didn't take long to pull the lax body out of the tree, until the small something was sprawled out on his lap. _

_A mop of orange hair was the first thing he noticed. That hair colour…wasn't it familiar?_

_No, that couldn't be! As his heartbeat sped up, he turned the child around- just to gaze upon a face he had dreamt of so often. His brother's and Kurosaki Ichigo's visage. Young and unguarded, it was really beautiful in its innocence. _

"_Wake up," he breathed into the boy's ear, letting his breath tickle sensitive skin._

_Doing that, he couldn't stop himself from playing with a loose strand of hair, while his other, free hand secured the slender waist in a secure grip. _

_Pulling a bit on the motionless body, he placed it in his lap, leaning the young one's back against his own chest. Immediately, a sweet, musky scent attacked him, lulled his senses in a state of euphoria. _

_Gin had watched everything without a comment until now, but Aizen could hear him chuckle lowly as the creature they had found uttered a yelp, opening his eyes to stare up at Sosuke with somewhat scared, but mostly curious eyes. _

_Once again, the brunet felt himself be taken in by their intensity._

_How he had longed to see them again! They were still the most precious memory he had and now, he took his time to brand them into his mind._

_How their colour darkened at the edge of the iris, just to become an almost golden colour in the middle._

_Only distantly, he noticed that the orange-haired kid seemed to be finished with his staring, for he wriggled in his grip. _

_Tightening his embrace, he stopped the other's struggling efficiently and instantly. Really, it was cute to watch as the child's lower lip began to tremble and the smaller body involuntarily shivered, maybe because of him, or because of the damp, uncomfortable clothing the boy wore. _

_You could very well see that the little Ichigo would reach a boyish beauty in some years, for now, he could only be described as adorable, maybe a bit like a kitten. _

_Only lightly tanned cheeks were puffed, while tangerine-coloured streaks fell in his eyes. _

_Not yet was his corpus elegant and held a certain flexibility like it would eventually, instead, he simply looked surprisingly frail, like the lad didn't like to go outside so often, something that the brunet hadn't been able to imagine before._

_Still, it had to be true, judging from the paleness of his skin. Returning Ichimaru's guarded look, he patted the child's locks. _

"_Don't worry, I won't do you any harm…" he murmured soothingly, though his thoughts were elsewhere, with the young, stubborn man he had met when he had been only a brat._

"_Sir, please let me go…" the human in his arms pleaded with a weak voice. _

"_Why were you sleeping in a tree? It's dangerous to wander around alone in the middle of the night," he said, ignoring the boy's request._

_No, he was not about to let go, not ever. _

_Shaking again, the mortal's fingers dug into his Haori, where they stayed, unsure and lost. _

_Gin chose this moment to call attention to himself, for he really hated to be left out of a situation. Ignoring their strange discovery, he turned to his master. _

"_Aizen-sama, what about our mission?" he wanted to know. _

_Whimpering, the boy buried his face in the brunet's chest, it seemed like he really didn't like strangers one bit._

_Or maybe it was only his lieutenant's face that intimidated him, the Shinigami Captain could not say which one was the right answer, but he knew that it wouldn't do to frighten little Ichigo when he was so vulnerable. _

"_This is just my friend. Do not fear him," he stroked the younger male's head again, like he had done oftentimes when his brother had still been alive. _

_Shyly, the child dared to take another peak at the newcomer; his eyes were screwed together, as if to find out something. _

"_Adorable! Your prey looks like a deer caught in the headlights…" the silver-haired figure chuckled, speaking out the thoughts he had harboured. Though that made the boy stiffen visibly and his breath hitched. _

"_Don't do that," he demanded, making sure to let his companion know that he wasn't really furious or displeased. _

"_I-I h..have to go home…" the youngster stuttered, struggling out of the hug he had been caught in. Unwillingly, the dark-haired male allowed him to wriggle out of his hold._

"_We will accompany you then," Sosuke decided, he wouldn't let Ichigo leave, not anymore. _

_Taking two steps back, the child shook his head fervently. _

_Frowning barely noticeable, he waited for an explanation to the strange behaviour. _

"_He insists," his henchman cackled, his tone firm and amused at the same time. _

"_No, I don't want that! Go away!" the orange-haired lad shouted, now finally resembling his older self in attitude. Hadn't it seemed to be so offending, Aizen would have laughed about that character trait right here and then, but he held himself bit, noticing the amusement that shortly flickered in the silver shadow's eyes. _

"_My parents told me to never speak with strangers…" was added after a moment. _

"_We can't let a little wet brat go anywhere alone in the middle of the night, now can we?" _

_Gin grinned, his tone laced with irony. _

_Slowly bowing his head, the young boy inspected his clothing, as if perceiving them for the first time. _

_For the time being, the brunet entertained himself with watching the different emotions playing over the smaller one's face, it was so easy to see that he was arguing with himself!, until hesitantly, while rubbing his hands together, the human nodded. _

"_B-but I have to go somewhere else first…"_

--Later--

_A graveyard, the place most hated to go to. Aizen wasn't so weak as if he would care about things like that, but he did wonder why a child would want to come here. _

_Eventually, their journey ended at a grey, normal-looking stone, where boy kneeled down at once, tears blinking in his eyes. Eventually, Ichigo began to talk. _

"_Mum, I'm so sorry! I really didn't want you to die, I didn't…Already, I miss you so much that it hurts. I know it's a bit too much to ask for, but could you one day watch over me too? Will you forgive me eventually?" he whispered. _

_Enthralled the elite Death God watched, saw as one tear finally fell down and it began to snow. Once again, his angel had surprised him._

_Funny that he was so much stronger than Sosuke, because he hadn't been able to ask his brother for forgiveness yet, not after hundreds of years. _

_And there was this small, weak-looking lad and just did it, in such a heart-felt and simple way. With the white flocks surrounding him, the boy truly looked angelic and that was the moment that the dark-eyed male knew that he would keep his promise this time. _

_Everyone who would dare to lay a finger on this special creature would die. There would be no compromises, no failure this time. _

"_Those are tears of forgiveness. Seems like your wish was granted," Gin grinned and surprisingly, it wasn't his usual, fox-like smirk. _

_Maybe that was why Ichigo answered him with one of his own, a smile so wonderful and matchless that it took Aizen's breath away. _

--Scene Shift--

"_Ichigo! Ichigo!" a little girl cried, hugging her older brother fiercely. She didn't really resemble him, her brown eyes were darker, her skin lighter and her hair was a dirty blond. _

"_Dad was so worried! He is still looking for you…" she sobbed. Obviously ashamed for making his family worry, the boy lowered his head. _

"_I'm sorry…" he replied, his tone crestfallen. _

"_Kurosaki Ichigo…" Aizen interrupted, its tone quiet but sharp._

_Turning around, the little one looked at the brunet. For one moment, their eyes met, before Sosuke turned away._

"_We will be going now. Until we meet again."_

_Seeing the child nod was enough for the brunet to disappear, allocating his companion with a wave of his hand to follow. _

_Soundlessly, they vanished, but not before eying the orange-haired mortal for one last time. _

_**I will make sure that we will meet again…**_

--Present again--

And they had. Smirking, the leader of Hueco Mundo remembered their encounter in Soul Society, how Ichigo had unknowingly supported and enhanced his plan.

"That's how weak you make me…All I ever think of is you. Everything resolves around you, no matter what I do…I can't even kill you to erase this flaw, for I can destroy whatever it takes to reach my goal, but not you, never you. I wonder- will that feeling finally dissolve after the next stage of my plan? Will I finally reach perfection? Or is being with you the only thing that can ever make me complete? We will know, very soon, when I raze your beloved Soul Society to the ground. Sleeping so deep, letting your spirit fade away, you don't know, but the time has come to set my final plans in action. So heal, because my ultimate victory will only be enjoyable with you by my side!"

--Flashback, Shortly after Aizen killed his parents--

"_My parents were fighting…then, my father attacked mother and killed her," little Aizen repeated for the fifty-ninth time this day, stoically as ever, with his perfect façade firmly in place. _

_Nothing and nobody could penetrate the layer that protected his emotions so easily. _

_General Yamamoto didn't even blink, as he lifted one hand, nodding to a Shinigami, who agonisingly slowly pierced another needle through his neck. _

_This wasn't just any torture, it hurt Death Gods a lot more than humans, for the needle were specially designed and drained the spiritual force from an individual. Most Soul Reapers didn't survive more than thirty pins._

_Of course, that wasn't the only method they had tried to get the truth out of him, his arms had wounds inflicted by a sword to show it._

_Once, they had even poisoned him and only at the very last moment, shortly before the venom had reached his heart, they had let him drink the antiserum. _

_Since then, he had retried his answer again and again, until he sounded like a broken record. They weren't satisfied, though._

_Knowing that there was something fishy about his parents death, they continued to, interrogate' him. And with their despair and anger, his own hate grew sky high. How dare they do this to someone?_

_Didn't they see that his family hadn't been good and earnest, but killers? _

_Sosuke had just avenged his brother and protected his most important person, nothing more. He wouldn't break down, would never give them this reparation. _

_Before that, he would more likely die. Well, it wasn't said that he would come out alive…_

"_General-sama, he's too stubborn! To loosen his tongue, we need more drastic measures!" the Death God he didn't know complained. An icy feeling washed over him. _

_What was more horrific than his current treatment was? Why wasn't it over yet?_

"_Don't you think the fastest way to make a man obey is to shatter is mind?" the torturer added slyly. Letting his arm being taken roughly, Aizen stood up. _

_One day, he would crack them, until only pieces of them were left. For now, he had to brace himself for the coming, because surely, it would outclass all other experiences… _

--Some time later--

_His empty gaze was directed at the little, with bars equipped window of his prison. _

_There wasn't anything for him anymore. Seemed like they had finally succeeded in making him mad, if he hadn't been before. _

_Somehow, even that thought couldn't amuse him anymore. Nothing, had he really nothing left? Or wasn't that true? Hadn't been there something, a long time before? _

_Or was his spirit creating false images now? No, that couldn't be…Concentrating, he tried to remember. Tried to reconstruct that day when he had found a meaning in his life for the first time. _

_It had been something little back then, a small gesture that had torn him out of his lethargy. Yes, now he could recall what it had been…a smile. _

--Birth of Aizen's brother--

_He, who nobody had ever considered as more than an heir or a weapon, was the receiver of something wonderful, however simply it was given, something laughed at him. A newborn, to be exact. Staring down at it, he felt something inside of him move. _

_This was his brother, that small, strong person was his sibling. _

_Brown, big eyes looked at him and a big, toothless grin was plastered on the cheeky, still somewhat round face. The maid holding the baby shifted nervously._

_Aizen knew why, the domestics didn't just like him, they were afraid of him. In their opinion, he was too emotionless, too deathly and skilled for his age. _

_Chubby fingers reached out for him, grabbing his thumb. Giggling, the tiny boy began to play with it, unaware of the harsh fate that would await him as soon as he would be old enough to stand. _

"_Young master, you aren't allowed to harm him in any way, I shouldn't even let you see him…" the servant whispered, eyeing him pleadingly. _

_Maybe she was only following her orders, but Sosuke hoped that she already had a soft spot for his Ototo._

_For he really didn't want to see this little one grow up the way he had, unloved. That was why he decided something for himself, silently. _

_From now on, he would take care of the infant, this boy wouldn't be like him, he would smile and play in the rain and simply captivate everyone with that special smile of his…_

--Back again in the prison cell--

_Right…how could he have forgotten? But his purpose was gone, so why should he continue to fight? Just to get revenge? And after that?_

_Would he just rot away, until he was truly as dead as he felt at the moment? No, there had to be more, right? Even someone as him had deserved one joy in his life…_

_Why did it have to be so black here? In his parent's house, there had been white everywhere, they had chosen the pure colour to avert from their own cruelty and had forgotten the other meaning of white: blank. _

_Here, everything was just dark. Kuro, until you got lost in it. __Kuro? Kuro…saki…Ichigo…! _

_He remembered now! After all, there was still something left! His angel, the creature with the fiery, but somewhat sad eyes and that smile, the same one he had always loved…_

_Brown irises flared to life again, as the delicate body stood up, brushing the dust off his ragged clothing. It had worked once, why not again? _

_He could count on his illusions, no matter what. Everyone could be caught in them…General Yamamoto and his little puppets would regret the day they had dared to mess with him. _

"_We'll see who breaks whose soul first, damn fools," he hissed. _

_Under his enormous spiritual force, the door opened automatically, all the magical restraints and locks were just blown away with one swift wave of his hand. _

_Dismissively, he continued on his way. Sure, some Shinigami tried to hinder him, unsheathing their __Zanpakutōs. But he didn't even spend them a glance. _

_Why? In his eyes, they were just burdensome flies, nothing more. _

_They could try to stop him all they wanted, it was not as if they would ever succeed. The first that dared to attack him exploded from the inside as he assaulted him with his Reijatsu. _

_All the others took some steps back; some yelled because of the sight, there was so much blood…Sosuke could only chuckle about it. _

_What did one fool more or less matter? _

_As long as he could always feel so great, so absolutely…powerful. From now on, he wouldn't let anything get in his way. Why submit to someone when you could also very well crush them? _

"_Don't let him through!" "Someone, call the Captains, he's too strong!"_

_Seemed like he had caused a big commotion, Death Gods were running around everywhere. Ignoring them, he continued on, for he knew his way very well. _

_Certainly, the dungeons were below stairs. His sword was in the first floor, he could feel its vibrating, it calling him. With his bare hand, he intercepted one blade, just breaking the metal off after that. _

_Gasping could be heard from the Soul Reaper that the weapon belonged too, as he scrambled away._

"_Don't risk your lives, wait for-"_

"_Your existence is already over…" Aizen intercepted with a smirk, before he let them feel the full pressure of his spiritual power. After one minute, only a massacre testified for what had happened. _

--Scene shift--

_As Yamamoto saw him, his eyes widened. Suddenly, he appeared to be very old._

"_Who brought him here? I haven't ordered for him yet…" the man snorted._

"_I've let myself out because of good behaviour," the brunet joked seriously. _

"_This is a heathen! A crime! Little brat, don't you know that you are as good as dead?" the Shinigami next to the Captain yelled indignantly. _

"_I don't think so…How should you punish something you don't remember?" _

_And with that, he dived for the place his sword was stored, grabbed the hilt and released its power with one determined roar. _

--Present--

"Aizen-sama, it's time…" Halibel's voice interrupted his musings abruptly. Sighing, he stood up, not without stopping in front of his servant for a second, gazing in her eyes.

"How's the situation?" he asked, his voice strong and firm, even in the distress he was in at the moment. No one had to know what he had been through.

All that was a thing of the past- he would not only revenge, he would create a new future too. One that might be darker than it had been planned to be, but still the one he had opted for.

"Everything is processing exactly like you have said it would," she bestowed him with an approvingly bow, before she continued, "We just manage to prepare for the next stage."

"So be it then. Let the room be guarded, nobody has the right to enter until I consent it, is that understood?" Not waiting for her nod, he hurried out.

Another hard trial was before him- he didn't want to complicate things for himself by staring at his angel again.

For, when he would look at him now, he would realise what he could lose, shouldn't it go the right way.

Because of that, he didn't even notice that Ichigo's eyelids flattered, as groan escaped his lips. Blue energy surrounded him, before his body went lax again.

And still, his mind was very, very far away, no longer in the present time…

--Scene Shift, another timeline, unknown place--

_Tiredly, Ichigo opened his eyes. _

_Where was he? His body felt like it had just been through a life-or-death-match…Oh no! Was this again a crazy time travel? Had that bastard toyed with him again? Remembering the kiss, he blushed an angry red, before the fury took over._

"_Come out right now! Tell me what shit I'm in this time!" he yelled. Only the distant growling of thunder answered him. Gazing around, he gulped._

_These were remains of a city he was laying on…the leftover of his hometown! Gasping, he surveyed the destroyed, dark-looking houses._

_Somehow…it didn't seem like this was the past…and he had the feeling that this time, his enemy had nothing to do with this predicament…So…_

"_Where the heck am I??"_

(End Chapter 7)

„Those who hate most fervently must have once loved deeply; those who want to deny the world must have once embraced what they now set on fire." By Kurt Tucholsky

--Chapter 08--

--Same scene as last part of 8—

_This was not funny…Not even remotely entertaining. _

_Ichigo drew his eyebrows together. Why was he suddenly here? Maybe he was going crazy now…yeah, that could be it. _

_After all, he was dealing with abnormal things on a daily basis, at some point, one had to go bonkers, right? Shivering, he peaked around again._

_No, the landscape was still the same- houses that were vaguely familiar to him- wasn't that the bakery he had once eaten in?- and above it all, a grey sky. _

_Every now and then, the wind wailed through the empty streets, whirling up foliage. The few trees that were still standing seemed old and already dead. _

_Their gnarly boles were barely able to support their crowns, even though there weren't many leaves on them anymore. His house! _

_What about his home? Was it still standing? And why did his hometown look like this? Please, please…_

"_Don't let it be real…" he prayed silently, standing up. _

_His clothing, he was still wearing the same, as he had been that fateful night he had met Aizen at his mother's grave, he realised absently, was dusty and even dirtier than before. _

_Because he only wore a t-shirt, his Goosebumps had already formed on his underarms. _

_But the concern about his friends and family was stronger than the need to warm himself. _

_Coming to stand shakily, he waited a moment to regain his breath. _

_Hesitantly, he took a step and found that he could walk, albeit he had to go on a slower pace than he would have normally._

_Even now, he had really no clue why everything here was so different. Lost in thoughts like that, it was no surprise that he didn't notice the other person that approached him until it was too late. _

_One moment, he could observe a pale male with abnormally glowing, blue orbs, before the figure wrapped one arm around his throat, the other around his waist. _

_Involuntarily, Ichigo felt like a snake had captured him. Chuckling, the shadow buried his face in his neck, nuzzling and licking it lightly. _

_Jumping at the sensation, the orange-haired boy tried to free himself hastily, but he found that his own strength wasn't enough to do so._

_Going limp again, he waited for whatever the stranger had planned for him would happen. Eventually, he felt hot, unwelcome breath at his ear. _

"_So you don't desire to know what happened here?" was asked jeeringly._

_His heartbeat stopped for nothing more but a second before it returned, beating twice as fast as before. _

"_You know something? Why do you know me? And how did I end up here?" he bubbled out. _

_For a moment, he was vaguely embarrassed by his own outbreak, but then, he shrugged it off. After all, he had every right to ask question and to be confused! _

"_Everyone you cherish is dead here," the man waited a moment for that statement to sink in before he continued, "This place here was destroyed as the incarnation of darkness activated the key. Soul Society fell three days later. Afterwards, epidemics and illnesses haunted the humans. At the present date, no one has survived. This planet has become uninhabitable. The only thing in the glory of its power is the Dark Kingdom. Maybe you think this is just another illusion, but you should know better. Everything you see here is the future, your future." _

_Hearing this, Ichigo could do nothing. It was like every ability he had possessed had vanished suddenly. So this was how things were going to be soon? Had he really failed to protect them? Everyone…would soon be dead…_

"_Don't worry my little puppy. I called you, after all, to change it…"_

_Hope flickered in the teenager's brown eyes for a moment. Unsure, he turned around to look in the creepy blue irises of the other, who let it happen with a smirk on his face._

"_Tell me how," he pleaded, sounding hoarse and throaty, even to himself. A monstrous smile was the answer, one that made the young Shinigami tremble inside. _

_Was it really wise to trust this stranger? Eying the destroyed landscape, his decision was made. What other choice did he have? It didn't seem like this man was lying to him. _

"_All I want you to do is to complete an easy task….Just that, and all your important people can be saved. Or do you want them all to die? Listen to me…the devil…kill him. You're my little pretty servant, aren't you? Then that's what you have to do. After all, you were born to be to my services! It's easy…Erase the root of all evil…"_

--Present, Hueco Mundo--

"Evil…" Kuchiki Byakuya breathed.

There was no other way to describe what happened in front of his eyes right now.

Whilst the unanticipated arrival of the Vizards had given them a huge disadvantage, they had continued to fight, hoping to end all of this madness in one big attack.

But, until now, it hadn't worked. Whatever they tried, Aizen's troupes were either faster, stronger or smarter than them. Seemed like all of their plans had been looked through already.

Apparently, they couldn't fool someone as brilliant as the former Shinigami Captain Sosuke Aizen. He had always been known to be cunning and talented- maybe too much so- but this was unbelievable!

Could one man really overthrow them, their world? Soul Society had existed for more than a few decades, could the glory they had worked so hard for really fall just because of the whim of one of their own kind?

No, that would be outrageous! His family had protected the world of the spirits since a very long time; he wouldn't put shame on them by failing!

Never would they fall, not with their almighty Ou-sama on their side!

Still…He had been more than ready to fight Hollows, the three traitors, whatever power they had! What he hadn't been ready for, however, was that he would have to fight a…

"Monster…"

--With Ichigo again--

"_Aizen? You want me to murder him?" suddenly, he felt uncomfortable with the whole situation, more so than before._

_Sure, he didn't like that bastard, but he had always thought he just had to beat him and drag him to Soul Society…But kill a creature?_

_Remembering the man, his soft eyes, the way he had kissed him…When thinking about killing him, the teenager felt nauseous._

_Could he really harm the brunet, after all that had happened? He was so confused, he couldn't think straight at the moment…_

"_Isn't that a small sacrifice? Think about your friends…don't you want them to survive? Hasn't this devil been the one who has destroyed your life? And really, do you think he's honest with you? Can't you see that he is trying to manipulate you, so that you act exactly like he wants? Be stronger than that, don't let yourself be influenced by him!" the stranger urged, his eyes becoming brighter and brighter with the moments passing by. _

_Ichigo felt intimidated by him, by his whole behaviour. _

_How should he know what was right or wrong? Normally, he only acted on his instincts, so what should he do now? Listen to his heart or brain? The man eying him so intensely didn't help!_

"_I don't know…" he choked, feeling like breathing became harder with the minutes passing by, as he tried to adjust his cogitations, "I have no idea…"_

_Hands were suddenly on his shoulders, shaking him softly, once, then twice._

"_Please stop…" he whispered, his voice barely audible, even to himself._

"_Why do you think about it? You are only here because I made you! Is it because of that devil that you choose to disobey me? Answer, do you think he cares for you? That person would never be concerned about anything else than to devastate the world you live in! Isn't that proof that you have to kill him?"_

_The orange-haired boy had enough now. Somehow, that guy had to be crazy! _

_He couldn't trust someone like that, he couldn't! One little, rebellious voice inside of his head even told him that this figure knew nothing. _

_Aizen…Ichigo had no idea if he was sincere, if he only toyed with everyone, or if he had his reasons, but he understood that the brunet was a living being over everything else and to simply blow out the light of a live was wrong. _

_Hadn't his father always told him that every existence had to be honoured, regardless of what they did or had done? _

_His Dad had always worn that absent expression and it had hurt his son to see it, because it showed so much pain…_

_Shoving the shadow away from himself, the Zangetsu wielder gave him his best glare._

"_What are you trying to do to me, then? Regardless where I am, all everyone does is lie to me! From now on, I won't take that anymore! Leave me alone, I decide what I do myself…" with his old combative spirit coming back to him, he felt better. _

_Somehow, the pain of knowing that his friends would be dead soon had faded in the background. Now, he had to tell this guy off before he would consider his next action. _

_In the mean time, the being's demeanour had changed, his face was now nothing more than an ugly mug, his white hair flying softly, framing his face like hissing cobras. _

"_Who are you? Did you bring me here?" he asked, more demanded to know, balling his hands to fists, as his eyes flashed blue. _

_One moment…His spiritual energy was swarming around him and it had the same colour…as the man's eyes. _

_Was this only coincidence or was there more to it? Why was it that he didn't understand anything that was going on anymore? _

_At which point had he lost control over the situation- and himself? Regaining some of his former cool, the man crossed his arms over his chest mockingly. _

"_You will have to find out yourself…But know that eventually, you'll become my servant, if you want or not. Until then, run into your own doom, experience the ultimate pain and despair over it…See for yourself how your future will be like!"_

_And, as abruptly as he had appeared, the figure disappeared, leaving a troubled Ichigo behind, who fell to his knees, grabbing his own hair. _

_When had things become so complicated? Had he done something wrong to deserve all of this??_

--Present--

"God have mercy…" Soifon whispered.

Around here, everyone had stopped fighting, just to stare ahead. Astonishment was clearly written on some faces, other looked scared.

The Hollows' feelings couldn't be determined so easily, for their expressions were guarded and controlled.

However, the female Shinigami had no time whatsoever to think about her enemies' emotions.

Because just moments ago, he had entered the battlefield, the reason for all their misery- the traitor himself, Aizen.

With his white uniform blowing in the wind, he ha looked angelic, however, the demonic glint in his eyes had betrayed his true nature.

Immediately, the woman had known that he didn't plan anything good. What did he want to do this time? Which life did he desire to destroy?

This time, they had to end it- they had to unite their forces to destroy him once and for all. He had brought enough devastation for a lifetime.

Of course, everyone had prepared to attack him- only to freeze in horror at what happened next. The Arrancar had retreated, had positioned themselves in a circle around their leader, drawing strange signs on the ground and mumbling something incomprehensible.

Then, the brunet had held up something small and shiny- an object she couldn't make out clearly. One moment later, however, it had happened.

Glowing faintly, the traitor's body had rose into the air and then, it was as if the heavens opened- a light had hit him. Because of the suddenness of that action, no one had been able to move.

And now…it was too late. For Soifon did understand very well what the betrayer was doing.

Although she wasn't one of the oldest or strongest of their race, she had heard about it in stories.

Well, on the other hand, who didn't know it? After all, the ancient legend was famous in Soul Society…

_And God's fury would come upon the one who dared to change the course of fate…_

"We have to stop him!" someone next to her yelled.

This time, she couldn't agree more. If Aizen succeeded with this insane plan then they were truly doomed! No, they had to-

Suddenly, a movement caught her attention. Gasping, she observed the little figure that ran right to the place the Hollows' leader was currently located.

"Foolish girl! What do you think you are doing?!" Soifon bellowed, but it was already too late.

Hinamori Momo had clearly lost her mind to approach their opponents in such a reckless manner!

There was nothing the Unit Commander of the second Division could do as the brainwashed lieutenant ran into her own doom without knowing it.

--Future, with Ichigo--

_Looking at the crumbled paving stone, Ichigo sighed deeply. _

_He hadn't been able to break away from his stupor; he was still kneeling on the ground, thinking deeply. _

_Just because he didn't have the courage to stand up and look around- he was too afraid of what he would see and find out- didn't mean that he wasn't considering this new dilemma he was in. _

_What if he stranger had been right? Maybe it would be his fault that his friends and the whole Soul Society were to be destroyed soon…_

"_But…I would never destroy them like that!" he mumbled. _

_Seeing his mother die right in front of his eyes had been bad enough- that time, he had sworn himself that never again would he let a person close to him perish without him trying every human possible to stop it. _

_Hesitantly, almost shyly, he peered around, before he shook his head in resignation, his orange locks flying wildly with the debauched movement he made. _

"_As if I would give up so easily…I myself am carving my future, nobody else…"_

"_Spoken like a true poet," someone with a deep, husky voice chuckled. _

_Spinning around, the boy stared at the person with consternation, before his amber eyes narrowed._

"_**You**__…"_

--Present time again--

"…Please come to your senses! It wasn't you doing this, I know it! Please!" Hinamori Momo pleaded.

Seeing the one man that meant so much to her like that broke her heart. She had been locked away so far, but nobody could stop her when she was determined!

Behind her, she could hear Toshiro's yells, but she did not turn around. This time, she would not back down!

Brown eyes met her own, narrowed ones.

There was nothing left of the mild, polite concern that had once shone in that dark irises, only a devouring coldness was left.

Although that frightened her, she continued to watch him, her expression now swaying into a begging one.

"Don't you remember all the time we spent together? That can't be just a lie! Someone else, Gin that snake, must have corrupted you! But it's not too late…please come to your senses again! I'll help you, I'll always be your lieutenant, so come back!" she cried, while tears fell freely to the ground.

One moment, her Captain seemed thoughtful, before he changed. The diabolic grimace vanished, just to be replaced by a small, gentle smile.

Hinamori's breath stopped, her heartbeat increased. He wasn't completely gone!

Apparently, the one she adored was still alive! Finally, she would be able to prove that nothing had been Aizen-san's fault…

"You are such a good girl…" he began to speak, his voice somewhat eerie, "It's so easy to break you, to make you love me…Do you think I could ever like someone as frail as you? My doll, you are just that a tool, nothing more…And I have no use for you anymore. Become my sacrifice, so that the ceremony can begin!" he changed again, so suddenly that she had only a moment to view his face.

As a sword pierced her body and fractured her lungs, she didn't utter any sound of pain, all she could think of was her beloved.

Wasn't she worthy enough for someone as unearthly and perfect as Aizen? But…she had wanted to rescue him, to show him the light so badly…

Why couldn't she fulfil her dream? Salty tears mixed with the blood she coughed, tainting her world in a crimson colour as she fell to her knees.

Somehow, the big gash in her breast was surreal; she couldn't even feel the pain!

A laugh escaped her lips. Right, this wasn't real; everything just had to be a nightmare!

One she would wake up from very soon. And then, everything would be back to the time she had been happy.

Arguing and having fun with Toshi, admiring her crush from afar…why did it have to change?

Although she was just a small, weak and insignificant girl, hadn't she deserved some happiness?

When the pain came, she screeched in agony, but not because of the ache that she felt, just because of her emotional suffering.

And for the first time in her life, she wished that everything would be over- that she could die. Seconds later, she felt herself fade away and sighed contentedly.

Why not let the nothingness take over? It would be so easy…

"Momo!" Toshiro? Right, he cared for her, he was her friend!

Why did he sound so sad? Did he still like her?

A new feeling filled her. She didn't want to die; there were still many things she wanted –and had- to do! Because of this, she had to fight, had to survive!

The pain in her exploded as something hit her stomach and crushed her organs.

Looking up weakly, she saw the almost black eyes of the devil- Aizen's eyes…

As she inhaled for the last time, she could feel that something was pulling at her soul- something was trying to take her soul and spiritual energy away!

But there was nothing she could do against it as she fell in eternal blackness.

--Future--

_Roaming through a town he had always known to be lively and picturesque wasn't particularly his idea of spending time. _

_But, as he grumpily realised, he had no other choice- again. _

_How often had he had the possibility to decide in the few past days? _

_The anger and despair he felt because of his own dependence were mind crushing. Really, they had made him totally vulnerable! _

_As if he was some maiden waited to be rescued…_

_Right now, he regretted the words he had spoken to Rukia so carelessly what now seemed long ago… _

"_Your opinion will be rejected. You just have to stand at the side line and cry ,Save me!'…"_

_Now it was him in that situation and he had no wish to be pathetic and let himself be saved by anyone. Maybe, he concluded broodingly, there was more than just physical danger a creature needed to be salved from…_

_The feeling to be meaningless, inner hurt and regret could hurt you so much more. Then- maybe it wasn't him who needed to be rescued this time? _

_It could be that his perspective was completely wrong. _

_White wasn't only the colour that represented innocence, but also it stood for emptiness and blankness, after all. _

_So, could it be that the Hollows, that Aizen required his help this time? _

_Was it on the teenager to mend a shattered heart and ease injuries that couldn't be seen? Nah! What stupid things one could sulk about at times! _

_Ichigo wasn't some woman who would try to fight with feelings and words, he was a fighter, he used a sword to get messages across! _

_And the Espada were just a bunch of psychos…None of them was in need of any aid, well, maybe a good beating, but that was another thematic. _

_Imagining them to cry like babies and tell him about their screwed up childhood was just laughable. _

_Hem, although Grimmjow would need an anger management course for sure…_

_That thought loosened his tenseness somewhat and a giggle escaped his mouth. _

_No, not giggle; he couldn't do something like that, more a snigger. Yeah, that sounded better…a light cough brought him back to reality._

"_Don't do anything stupid now, behave and just follow me quietly," his guide said. _

"_Are you trying to order me around, bastard! What's going on anyways? And why do you look like you have just been beaten up?" he inquired, observing the person next to him with slit eyes. _

_Shrugging, the other chose not to answer and stayed silent. _

_Time didn't seem to have been nice to the Espada- Ulquiorra, if he remembered correctly- for he suddenly appeared to be very old, although Hollows couldn't age like humans, they were already dead, after all._

_His formerly white porcelain face now held a sickly colour to it, as if he didn't sleep enough, and his abnormally big green eyes no longer had any light in them. _

_It was as if the Arrancar's soul had already ceased to be and only the body was still working. Like a doll, Ichigo mused inwardly, eyeing the other again. _

_His personality had changed, too. Instead of his usual calmness, he had been almost malicious, like Gin…the boy shuddered._

_And after surveying the teenager for a good five minutes, he had just commanded him to follow. Really, why was he always treated like a kid? _

_For goddess' sake, he was sixteen, not four! Nobody cared for that, though._

"_As soon as we arrive, you will have to explain, Kurosaki Ichigo…" _

_Huh? What did he have to explain? And why? Heck, what was this all about anyway?_

_And where was the Hollow brining him? This question was unnecessary, for they stopped at a large building just two minutes later. _

_Looking up in awe, the Shinigami's breath stopped for a moment, before he stared at his guide wide-eyed._

"_Why are we at a church? Tell me now what this is all about, for I have no fucking idea!"_

--Present--

"What is going on?" Rukia asked Renji, her sword still in her hands.

But, like the others, she didn't dare to move. Her face was pale; she didn't dare to look at Hinamori's battered body.

"The legend- that damned bastard wants to make the legend true!" the redhead growled.

"Huh? I don't understand…what are you talking about?" she asked.

"It's a stupid story that is well-known in Soul Society…but damn! Many doubt that it's real, so why did he choose to run this risk? Okay, listen! In that tale, a Shinigami wants to gain Hollow powers…and in the end, he did. He called one of the strongest Hollows and fused with it…"

"So…you mean Aizen wants to merge with a Hollow?!"

--With Ichigo--

_Ichigo rolled his eyes as big, wooden doors opened. Of course Aizen had to choose such a place! That bastard had always loved theatrical places and dramatic appearances. _

_This building had to be the last place that still wasn't in ruins. _

_On contrary, it was beautiful. Entirely white, this guy had a fetish for that colour for sure, the church really stood out. _

_There were few houses of God in Japan, but this one really was impressing with its colourful, masterly done windows. Dim light illuminated the insides. _

_Instead of benches, a sea of white flowers lay on the ground, at the altar's feet. Well, it wasn't exactly an altar, either, the boy realised with a silent gasp, but a grave. _

_Yes, there was a coffin in the middle of the church! And next to it, his arms resting on the crystal material of casket, was a man. _

_Although his hair was long, nearly reached his hip, there was no mistake who the person was. Just as the teenager was done with his observations, Ulquiorra cleared his throat noisily. The figure turned around with god-like speed._

"_We have a guest you will wish to see…" the Hollow explained, seeing as the dark eyes of his master shone with fury, "…Aizen-sama."_

--Earth, Present time--

"Yuzu, what's wrong? You have been moping around in your room for days now! Come on, tell me!" Karin begged, speaking through the door of hers and her twin's chamber.

"Tell me and I'll help you! Are you sad? Did someone bully you? Do you miss Dad…Or Ichi-nii?"

A small noise could be heard from behind the door. The black-haired girl sighed. So she had guessed right. Somehow, it had to do with Ichigo, that was for sure.

"Hey, don't worry about that idiot, he will come back!" she tried to sound cheerful, but she was worried about both her siblings herself, so it wasn't very convincing.

A sob interrupted her thoughts. Alarmed, she knocked against the wood again.

"Please come out! If you continue like this, I'll have to call Dad…"

"Yes!" a weak, shaking voice interfered, "Tou-san has to know about it! You have to notify him, please!"

--Future--

_Ichigo remained motionless as dark eyes turned to him, then widened, before they looked at him intensely. _

_It was a strange and uncomfortable feeling of being devoured whole, for the brown depths really seemed to want to brand his image into Aizen's mind._

_From the corner of his eyes, the teenager could see that Ulquiorra was retreating silently. _

_Somehow, the boy wanted to call out for him, desired that he stayed. _

_How should he stay here, with a brunet who apparently was even more insane than before? _

_Yes, there was something wild about Hueco Mundo's leader now, something that hadn't been there before. _

_Not only had he become more handsome, but now, his aura was almost overwhelming, even though the man kept it at bay. _

_His long, brown hair fell in wild strands in his face and his skin was even paler now. _

_Although the impressive eyes his enemy possessed were sadder and emptier than before, right now, a fire burned in them, something that made the orange-haired Death God frightened and fascinated at the same time. _

_Slowly, he dared to lift a hand in silent greeting, having enough of staring. This seemed to awaken the frozen Aizen too, for he approached him with big steps, before Ichigo's shoulders were grabbed roughly. _

"_I'm going insane now," the older male rasped, his voice throaty and deep._

_Apparently, the other hadn't used his voice in a long time, for it didn't have its smoothness anymore. _

"_Bastard! Of course I'm really here! I don't know how, but suddenly, I wake up in the future! At last, that's what that guy told me…the one with blue eyes…"_

"_Blue eyes?" the grip on his shoulder tightened, "So he still intends on playing this game with me? Are you one of his inventions? Doesn't he know that he can never fool me? As if I would ever mistake him for someone else…still, your spiritual force is exactly the same…how can this be? You can't be him!" _

_Having enough of all that shaking and insanity, the orange-haired teenager roughly freed himself, glaring at the brunet._

"_I'm Kurosaki Ichigo! Who else should I be? Really, I hate you! What have you done? Why? Is it true? Did all my friends really die? Answer!" he demanded._

"_You are in no position to ask anything of me, you fake!" Aizen shot back._

"_Hm. You should hear yourself talking! Listen to me, now, you fucker. Although I detest saying it, you're clever. Should you have any doubt that it's me, you would have blown me up right here! You haven't, that means you know who I am! And now, I want answer! Because at the moment, I really have no idea what the hell is going on!"_

"_Of course I know that you are either a dream or a fake…but my heart…wants to believe it. Just this once…I wanted to see you again…"_

"_You're creepy! I have no idea what you're talking about!"_

_Somehow, a bad feeling came over the time traveller. Eying the coffin suspiciously, he gulped. What if? With firm steps, he approached the grave. Suppressing a shiver, the looked through the transparent material, only to stiffen in horror. _

_Him! Lying there, eyes closed and not breathing, was him! Stumbling back, he fell to the ground. _

"_W-what is going on? That can't be…!" The former Captain observed him before slowly, he nodded, kneeling down next to him before he answered._

"_That's right. You can't be here…because you are already dead."_

_Fingers caressed his cheeks for a moment, before they firmly slung around his shoulders again. _

"_N-no…I'm here…this is the future me…?" _

_It was strange to hear about one self's own death, but Ichigo didn't feel regret or remorse for anything he had- or would- do._

_And it had been strange anyway, for had he been alive, he wouldn't have let his friends be killed. Calmly, he pried the other's fingers away and stared at him intensely._

"_Is it your fault that my friends aren't living anymore? Was it because of you that the city's destroyed? Answer! Because if you are responsible, I will never forgive you!"_

_Instead of an answer, arms wrapped around him and embraced him tightly. _

_Softly, he was pulled against a firm chest. They stayed like that for a moment, before the brunet sighed. _

_The human couldn't see it very well…but his enemy's expression was almost…sad? Remorseful? Tired? He couldn't decide which word fit best. _

_Then, however, pale lips curved upwards into a smile, as Aizen petted his hair. _

"_Everything…was I. I ordered to murder the Shinigami, I crushed the human world. So, if you are real, if you are from the past, hate me, detest me!"_

"_W-what are you saying?" the teenager squeaked back. _

_Somehow, this man seemed so different from the cocky bastard he knew…this person was so broken, even in his greatest victory. _

_How could he ever bring himself to hate someone who seemed so defeated? Thinking about holding a grudge against someone alone gave him a headache!_

"_I will find out…whether you say the truth or not…I can bring you back if he really brought you here from past times. But if I do…you will have to do something for me…"_

"_Joining you? I will never, so give that up right now!" Ichigo replied angrily. _

"_But no, I'll tell you…" Hot breath ghosted over his ear, before traitorous words were whispered into his own one. _

_Before he had time to react, his lips were sealed by a short, sweet kiss. _

_Taken by surprise, the boy had no time whatsoever to say something, before his body was engulfed by Aizen's spiritual energy. Sorrowfully, dark eyes looked at him._

"_I have always wanted…to see you again…just once…"_

_The rest of the man's words couldn't be understood as a swirl of colours swallowed Ichigo and took him away. _

--Present--

"Wait!" his outcry came too late, for he didn't find himself in the church anymore, but on a bed.

Only distantly did the boy notice that he was back again in his own time, the mission his enemy had given him was still occupying his mind.

Rolling himself to a ball, he let his own despair take over. All the while, the voice repeated itself in his head, as if to mock him.

"Destroy me, Ichigo-kun…destroy me, before I lose the meaning of my life. I don't think I could bear that once again…"

(End Chapter 8)

„I hold it true, whatever befall; I fell it, when I sorrow most; 'tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all." By Alfred, Lord Tennyson

--Chapter 09--

--Earth--

The night was pitch black. Even the streetlights did not manage to illuminate the darkness surrounding them. It was late autumn and already bitterly cold. Not that anyone bothered to go out and take a walk outside at midnight anyway.

Well, all but one. Rays of pale moonlight managed to shine on him just for a moment before he was hidden by the blackness again.

If anyone had looked out of the window at the right time, they would have seen a beautiful person, someone who seemed to be ethereal.

Not like one of the glowing, winged figures of heaven though, but someone nocturne, dangerous that could enthral you despite his coldness.

His hair, which reached his cheeks, was as silver as the mist enveloping the landscape was at the moment, a lustrous colour that glimmered blue when exposed to light.

Sharp, intelligent eyes, that seemed to be able to penetrate the deepest nothingness, could only be compared to the brilliance of the cerulean sky. Surprisingly, his skin was white, almost unnaturally so and was a big contrast to his silky locks.

Though all in all, apart from his irises, he seemed too white; blank and unreadable like a ghost.

The young man had a defined face, a red mouth that was currently forming a thin, emotionless line, as well as high cheekbones and elegant eyebrows.

His muscular, tall body was clothed in a simple white shirt, combined with ebony-coloured trousers. Everything about him, especially his behaviour, was proof that he was used to being obeyed.

Yes, he was unmistakably handsome and if any girls were to see him, they would squeal and coo.

But to be honest, it was better the rest of the world was unaware of his presence, because this young man was rather violent and cold-hearted, even if his appearance didn't suggest it. Only the stoniness of his eyes betrayed his true nature.

With pliant steps, the figure continued his journey to a particular house. It lay in a peaceful, proper and totally normal neighbourhood.

Too bad that soon, it wouldn't be so ordinary anymore. Although this silver-haired male was the only one who knew that at the moment.

Still, to be truthful, he looked more than forward to destroying the happiness the inhabitants of that particular home possessed.

For how long had he desired to do this? He couldn't remember anymore. But always, that wished had been present, burning his heart with the darkest of flames: Hate, rage and the thoughts of revenge.

And, although he was disgusted by the weak, pathetic race that called themselves humans, today was an exception. This was different. Soon, he would meet the one that had caged him inside of the prison he had escaped just a few days ago.

Should his inner monster extend its claws, he wouldn't stop it this time that was for sure, he would let it rip that person apart.

At the moment, however, that wasn't important. For finally, he had reached his goal. A nice-looking house, not too pompous, not too miserable. Bright, warm and welcoming, like any home should be.

This building wasn't foreign to him; on the contrary. One could say that he had spent most of his time thinking about it, wishing a tornado would tear it to pieces.

Ringing the doorbell, a malicious smirk slit on his face, twisting it. His prey would not escape, not anymore.

After a few minutes of silence, the door was swung open energetically. The smile the man standing in the doorframe instantly vanished when he saw just who was visiting him.

"So we meet again…Isshin."

Las Nochas

Ichigo didn't know how long, but he must have fallen in some kind of apathy, for he just continued to sit in the bed he had been previously lying on.

Thinking about what had happened after Aizen had kidnapped him was confusing and tiresome. Although he wasn't stupid, the boundaries of past, present and future began to become indistinct whenever he tried to find an answer. What had really happened?

And which ones of his ,dreams' could he believe? Had he met his enemy before, when he had been a child, just after he had lost his mother?

Or had the little brunet existed, the one that had killed his parents? Then, there was the confident young man that had just been appointed Captain and that had embraced him so lovingly while sleeping…

The present Aizen, a bastard who had betrayed Soul Society and had tried to kidnap Inoue had to be real, right? Really, it was frustrating. And then there was the future.

Would it really happen like that? Although he couldn't really imagine dying, the place that had revealed itself to him was more than horrible.

A destroyed Soul Society, Aizen winning, only to devastate earth because he had perished. In that place, nobody had been happy. There had only been the remains of thousands of souls that were crying in agony because of what had been done to them.

No, the teenager just couldn't envisage such an outcome. Before that would happen, he would fight. Yet…how should he do that?

Deprived of his weapon, there wasn't much he could do. Even if he had Zangetsu, he was no deal for most of the Arrancars anyway.

Though he wanted to change things, he couldn't. If just he had more power, maybe he would be able to safe his friends from this harsh fate…

"Ichigo!" someone cried into his ear, making him startle up.

Staggering back, his legs entangled with the sheets in the progress, so that he landed, a big mess of limbs and blankets, on the ground. Rather ungracefully, I may add.

"Hey, are you alive?"

the voice asked again. Someone lifted the fabric that had nearly choked him, so that the orange-haired boy could finally see who it was. But the revelation surprised him. His eyes widened and he gasped.

"K-kon?!"

As an answer, the stuffed animal flashed him a big grin, hopping up and down.

"What a relief that I'm not alone…Onee-chan was worried about you!" the modified soul declared, pointing one of his paws at him.

"Still, why are you here?"

The captive couldn't believe it. Was this just a dream, or another illusion? If yes, then it was working- he wanted to trust his friend.

"Oh…everything was so horrible! I had just set off to find you when these men appeared. Of course, I heroically tried to interrogate and fight them, but in this form, I stood no chance. So I, after they had chained me, was taken here. However, I did not give up, always thinking about your and Onee-chan's safety. And I succeeded in breaking open the lock. All because of my awesome skill! Now aren't you happy? Your rescuer has come!" the little doll boosted.

Still, even Kon's exaggerated tales managed to soothe him a bit. Somehow, he had missed the little brat more than he had realised.

Plus, knowing that he wasn't alone anymore was assuring- even though he couldn't count on the other to help him very much.

"But still, aren't there Espadas controlling the castle? How did you fool them?" he questioned, sounding a bit hoarse, seemed like he hadn't spoken for some time. That was right…for how long had he been out anyway?

"Hey, that's the best part…there were none! Apparently, some kind of fight is going on and-" "W-what? Tell me all you know about it!"

"If you don't want to listen to my courageous story then fine. Maybe it was Soul Society. In any case, I saw a black garment. Do you think Rukia-chan is okay? They wouldn't put her in danger, right?"

His companion, however, wasn't lending him an ear anymore. Already, he had stood up and clothed himself with the blankets, making a Tora out of them. Although it looked a bit stupid, that was all he had, or he would have to fight solely in pyjamas, the boy figured.

"Oh? Hey Ichigo, what is that?" the artifice spirit wanted to know, staring at the gleaming dagger that was attached to his owner's pants. Glancing at it, the orange-haired male's jaw tightened.

"Nothing," he dismissed it, appearing to be bothered all of a sudden, "Right now, that doesn't matter. Please, I need a favour. You've come here without being seen, right? Could you do that again? If you want to help Rukia and the other idiots, you will have to secure my sword for me."

"Your Zanpakutō…? Those guys that kidnapped me brought it with them, but…hey, don't just run away!" Kon shivered, the silence that surrounded him only making him tremble harder.

Honestly, he didn't want to be alone. After all, he had already almost died when having to run through those huge, white corridors alone. Couldn't his friend be more considerate of his feelings?!

"You big, mean jerk! I'm not superhero, I'm a freaking toy!" Life really was hard for someone as brave and cute as him…

Hueco Mundo, battlegrounds; same time

Seeing Hinamori fall, Rukia cried. Just like that, Aizen had ended a life…their comrade wouldn't come back. She looked unreal, lying there.

Her eyes were open; a smile was still gracing her lips. But never again, she would be able to see or laugh. Her soul was already escaping her body, just as the blood dripping out of her wounds did.

The black-haired woman had known that war meant death, that both sides would have to bear with losses.

Still, Hinamori had not deserved to be toyed with like that. Even in her death, she had been convinced that her ex-Captain wasn't bad and had been just manipulated. But the blue-eyed female knew that wasn't the case.

For the coldness displayed on the man's feature right now was his real self. Someone who had thrown away his morals and emotions could only be described as evil and dangerous in her opinion. And they would stop him, for Hinamori, for themselves.

Without thinking, Rukia took a step forward, ready to attack, but her brother taking a firm hold of her shoulder stopped her. Apparently, many of her teammates had had the same idea, for she could see them, determination making their faces stony.

Still, it wasn't wise to storm in head on. Probably, it had been that bastard's intention to make them agitated.

However, could they really win? Even against such a monster that had just gotten even stronger? And then, there were the Vizards helping them. Well, Shinji-san had been Fifth's Division's Captain before Aizen, so it was only natural, although they hadn't stood well with each other at that time.

"Come, so that I can test them- my new powers which will exceed heaven and earth…" their enemy said. Although he didn't say it loud, it resounded in their mind, over and over again.

Why did he manage to mock them so easily, only by lifting one eyebrow at the right time? No, the brunet was a master at manipulation, had spun a fine web made of his lies and assertions.

But just as easily, he could get tangled up in his own mesh. The Shinigami would not forgive him; they would end his existence, for it was their duty. Somewhat comforted by her thoughts, Rukia prepared herself.

She had to think carefully about her next action, had to give her companions their concentration back by showing them that their opponent was only trying to anger them. Her Nii-sama must have pondered about exactly the same, for he nodded in her direction, his blue, flickering eyes searching hers.

Before they could put their plan into action, however, Hueco Mundo's leader made his move.

"T-this is a…Cero?" the small swordswoman gasped, staring at the enormous black ball of energy that Aizen had created, "It can't be! There isn't such an attack…! Everyone, run!"

Nobody heard her. Maybe because of their enemy showing his true abilities for the first time, or just because the battle cries drowned out her high-pitched call. When the devastating light began to spread, however, everyone stopped.

Suffocating silence commenced, only disturbed by the bell-like sound of the energy the dark-eyed traitor had let loose. Was this the end? Rukia averted her eyes.

She was tired, she just couldn't face her own death and the destruction of all the people she held so dear. During her execution, she had thought she was ready.

Now she realised just what a huge lie that had been. Or was she feeling like that because at that time, she had at least known that her friends would survive? But at that time, Ichigo had showed her…a flicker of orange- Ichigo! There he stood, his arms spread out, standing in front of his comrades, as if…did he really want to shield them?

Rukia wanted to yell at him, to tell him that one body wouldn't stop that massive ball of energy, but her voice broke and her throat felt suddenly sore.

They had come to rescue him, but in the end, it was he whose will to protect was the strongest. In the end, she hadn't even been able to say goodbye to him.

The eerie light flashed, the shockwave that followed throwing the petite woman away. Then, the world exploded.

Flashback/Dream

_Once, he had a dream. With eight, most children had totally irrational dreams for the future, but Ichigo wasn't just anyone. _

_No, he knew what he wanted. Maybe that wasn't something great, but in return, his desire was all the more precious. _

_His mother had always smiled at him when he had showed her the pictures of how his future should look like. _

"_So who is that?" she had asked, pointing at the person without a face that was holding her son's hand. The orange-haired boy had pouted cutely, before he had answered enthusiastically. _

"_How should I know? All I want is to be together with the people that love me and that I love. So it could be everyone!" _

_Her expression had become clouded for a moment, before she had looked at him with an unaccustomed seriousness. _

"_But what if you have nothing else, no food, clothing or home, only this one person? Would that really make you happy?" _

"_It wouldn't matter. Because together, we would be able to do everything! And when you like someone, you have to stay with them and care for their well-being, right? After all, Okaa-chan also stays with Dad, although he's stupid…" _

_Finally, a soft smile graced her lips again, before she rumpled up her son's mop of hair. Protesting loudly, the child stilled when he heard his mother's laugh._

_Like the breeze of a calm day, it washed over him and calmed his senses instantly. Her good mood was just infecting. _

"_I suppose so," she guffawed, "But I think he is the most wonderful person on earth. Love really makes you blind, I guess." _

_Looking at her, the little one tilted his head to one side. _

"_So it isn't wrong to want to keep the ones you care for safe?" he inquired. Slowly, the woman nodded, stroking back a strand of her auburn hair, which had fallen in her face. _

"_Of course not. Do you know why I've given you that name? Your father protested, saying it is a girl's name, but I found it just too cute…though there is a deeper meaning to it. You wanna know?" _

_Curiously, Ichigo waited. Only a moment later, his mother bend forward, whispering something in his ear. Then, she slung her arms around his shoulders, hugging him lightly. "Never forget that, okay? That's the gift your parents gave you."_

"_I will never forget…"_

Earth, the Kurosaki's house

Karin didn't know why, but she remembered her mother's last wish at the strangest of times. It was almost eight years after her death that she recalled what her Mum had always told her: If something happens, you have to keep my belongings safe, for I own something very precious.

Still, her father had brought a box with her things to the attic soon after the funeral, wanting his children to heal somewhat.

Maybe he had feared that seeing that reminder every day would break them.

Nonetheless, on this cold but clear night, the black-haired girl grew restless. Initially, it had been the doorbell that had awoken her. Who could it be, in the middle of the night? Their father had just returned.

After Yuzu's emotional breakdown, he had sent them both to bed, wanting them to find some peace. But after hearing the sound, the tomboy had been strangely restless.

First, she had considered taking a peek at the visitor, but her father had seemed to be unusually dejected and serious, so she hadn't wanted to cause him more grieve.

Thus, she had thought about her dream, the one with her mother in it, looking at her and begging her to save ,it'. Whatever she had meant, Karin did not know. And, while she did not believe in ghosts or supernatural occurrences, she just had to look.

Too much had happened to ignore this vision. That was why she wasn't sleeping right now. Not that she recently got much sleep anyway.

Wooden steps creaked as she stepped on them. The door to the attic was hard to open, especially she, with her slender figure, had trouble.

Finally, the entrance gave in, opening the way to a world of dust. Nobody had been here for years, not even her father or Ichigo.

This had always been a forbidden territory for all of them, a place of mementos they didn't dare to relive. So none of them had dared to intrude.

Nonetheless, she did not fear to be here. Wind leaked through the walls, softly tugging on the soft material of her sleepwear.

Looking around with a trained eye, Karin soon noticed the box. It didn't look special in any way, on the contrary, one could have mistaken it for any other normal thing.

But all the girl could do was to stare at the fine handwriting of her mother. One sentence had been imprinted on the box, barely readable in the dim light. ,Masaki'.

With shaky fingers, she opened it. Her lips curved up in a smile when he saw all that books that were inside, just waiting for her to be read, ready to whisper their secrets into her ear.

Taking one out, she caressed it almost softly, but then frowned. No, this wasn't right. Another one was grabbed. Every time she drew her eyebrows, not satisfied with them.

You could call it her own strange ability, but she could feel when something called out to her. Finally, she reached out for the most thorn notebook that she hadn't seen before, it must have been hidden by the others.

As soon as her skin made contact with it, she gasped and couldn't withstand flipping it open. Before she could start to read, however, something that had been in the book fell on the ground.

Kneeling down, Karin was surprised to see that it was a some kind of key, although a very weird one.

Made in an old way, it was beautiful and all white. Its top consisted of a netting of some sorts that looked like a crown.

Considering it from all sides, she could not find out to which door it belonged. Yet somehow, she knew that this was what her mother had meant.

Apparently, that key held some importance. Staring at her discovery for another moment, Karin slipped it into the pocket of her pyjama top carefully. Then, she returned her attention to the notebook, opening it once again.

The writings inside were old and partially already began to fade away, but the girl's sharp irises could read it anyway. Finally, after minutes of search that seemed like hours to her, she found the right passage:

_Today, Isshin has been behaving oddly. He didn't even play with little Ichigo, although he always enjoys that so much. When I asked him, he suddenly kissed me, assuring me that he would protect his family. I was totally baffled first, but then, he began to explain. Apparently, he possesses something incredibly valuable and, to not endanger us, he wants me to throw it away. He said he himself cannot do that. Still, when I received the strange little key he gave me, I couldn't. I don't know why, but I have the feeling that it is connected to Isshin. What if something bad happens to him when I destroy it? So I promised myself that I would keep it safe. After all, I want to guard him just like he does…_

Karin stopped to read when suddenly, the ground began to vibrate. The notebook slipped from her hands. When she crash, she knew it. Something was definitely wrong.

Hueco Mundo, battlegrounds

Something was wrong. Because Ichigo knew that dying would hurt, yet he didn't feel any pain. Or had he been ripped apart and had instantly died? Still, he didn't think that the afterlife would feel so warm.

Furthermore, something wet was dripping on his arm…It wasn't cold, so it couldn't be water. Then…!

"You idiot…" Aizen coughed.

But the orange-haired teenager didn't listen. All he could do was to watch in torpidity, as the blood flew down the man's right arm.

His face did not betray anything, but the boy knew that it must have hurt. For the brunet had taken his own blow for him.

Imagine that! Someone was stupid enough to jump right in the line of his own attack. And surely, Hueco Mundo's leader must have known that even he would be wounded by it.

Because if no one else could rival him in spiritual energy, then at least he himself could. Still, that guy had just shielded him, without thinking or even wincing. Around them, the ground was destroyed, deep craters testifying for the traitor's power.

"Gin. This fight is over for today. Send our ,guests' back."

Really, the representative Shinigami didn't know how, but even in this situation, his captor managed to stay calm. His silver-haired accomplice quickly made some complicated-looking hand signs.

"Ichigo!"

He knew that voice, it could only belong to one person. Still, he couldn't turn around to face Rukia, he was still trapped in Aizen's death grip. Before he could bring up the power to shove his saviour away, he heard a strange sound.

Then, everything became silent. The loud and confused whispers and cries of Soul Society's Shinigamis, of his friends, were gone. Again, he was alone, his only chance to escape had already passed.

For a moment, he felt like crying. Maybe because he was still in Las Nochas, not at home, where he should be; or maybe because the man he had always thought he hated cared enough for him to become his shield.

Either way, he was feeling shaken and more unsure than ever. His train of thought stopped abruptly when he was grabbed and lifted up. Ostensibly, his enemy had enough power left to carry him.

But, judging from his expression, he wasn't all too happy. And this was an understatement. Gulping, the teenager awaited a punch or at least some yelling, but none came.

Aizen said nothing, just continued to carry him like one would do with a spiteful child or injured wife. Really, that silence was creeping him out more than some violence could have.

"P-please let me go," he said, bracing himself against the other's chest. No reaction. Meanwhile, they had already entered one of those long, completely white corridors.

Ichigo didn't know how he had found his way outside before, but right now, he found that this place resembled a labyrinth.

After what seemed like a small eternity to the unwilling guest, they arrived at what he believed was their destination.

Wonderful, another white door. Though this one was different, it could be described as more majestic and intimidating. Swinging open by itself, the entrance revealed a beautiful room with a large bed and a writing desk.

That was the moment that the spiky-haired Death God realised with a sinking feeling that this had to be Aizen's own room.

Although he had always secretively asked himself how his enemy's chamber would look, he wouldn't have thought it to be so…normal.

Instead of the devilish place full of torture instruments and skulls he had always imagined, this was a completely bedroom and white wasn't the only colour. As an example, the carpet was of a nice cream colour.

Though he didn't have much time to inspect the furniture, for he was thrown into the bed unceremoniously the moment the door closed.

"W-wha…" the boy protested, but his outcry was muffled by the brunet's lips sealing his own.

Panicking, he tried to escape, to let the other know that what he was doing was not right, but it seemed the ex-Captain was completely ignoring him. A hand lazily slipped under his pyjama top, began to draw circles on the sensitive skin of his stomach.

Hissing, Ichigo wanted to shrink back, but his wrists were firmly grasped and the moment he opened his mouth, a tongue slipped into it, fiercely exploring the wet cavern that had been unwillingly offered.

Now, this was progressing way to fast. He, who hadn't even received his first kiss from a girl yet, didn't want this. Especially because blood was still flowing down his assaulter's arm. What was that guy thinking?

Struggling, the human made another attempt to free himself. This time, Aizen drew back a bit, only to stare at him with hardened eyes.

"So you wanted to die carelessly like that? If you have already given up this life anyway, why not give it to me?"

"N-no…" The teenager bit his lip as his shirt was lifted up and his arms were bound with it. This had to stop, he didn't like it.

At the moment, the taller male was nibbling on his neck, all the while his uninjured hand travelled deeper.

When the fingers reached the hem of his pants, the boy wriggled. Wet traces were drawn over his shoulder. Was this all he was worth to Hueco Mundo's leader? Just a toy he could molest? It had to stop.

Already, although it was so wrong, it felt strangely good and send little shivers down his spine.

Still…if that man really wanted to rape him then there was only one possibility…out of the corner of his eyes, he could make out the faint blue shine of the knife that had been given to him by that man.

"_Kill him with this and you will change the future, kill him and your friends will be safe"_ that guy had said…

"Stop!" Ichigo bellowed when the buttons of his pants were opened. Finally, the older man halted for a moment, taking in his captive's screwed up eyes, the tears already brimming in them, as well as the red substance trickling down his chin, for he had bitten his lip a bit too hard.

Thunderstruck, Aizen let go of him and stood up. Surprised by that, the young Shinigami finally dared to look up.

Although his expression didn't show any emotion, as always, he could see that the coldness in the brown eyes had been replaced by something else, something he couldn't quite read.

Deming it safe to relax a bit, for the other's strange mood seemed to be over, the orange-haired student sat up, holding out his still bound hands.

"Do you mind?" he asked harshly.

Instead of an answer, his saviour gently began to unfasten them. When finally freed of the fabric around his wrist, Ichigo hastily clothed again.

No matter what reason, he did not want to sit here bare-chested for too long. Judging by the rather predatory look Las Nochas' king gave him, that wouldn't have been a good idea. For a moment, the orange-haired male wanted to scream at that guy that had so shamelessly molested him, to attack him with the small weapon he had received.

But then he remembered the other's future self, the gentle, deeply sad gaze that had been directed at him…And because of that, he couldn't. Instead, he stood up and roughly took a hold of the brunet's wounded arm.

"Don't think I'll change sides," he warned, "But I owe you, so let's get you patched up. However, just to make this clear: For attacking and almost killing my friends and for assaulting me like that, I will never forgive you. Furthermore, it's not like I wanted to die. It's just that I would never want to live when I can't protect those dear to me. Not that someone like you would understand that." Aizen huffed.

"As if a measly attack like that would have killed anyone. Do you really think I would give them such a quick death?"

"Don't kid with me! That beam was-"

"A newly developed technique. First, I ordered my servants to line the Shinigami up in a certain order. The middle, where the attack is the strongest, was supposed to hit the higher-level Death God's. Depending how far away you are from the main ray, the less damage you will receive. If you hadn't messed my plan up by jumping right in the middle, I would have been able to capture the whole Soul Society with little effort…"

Bizarrely, the man didn't sound angry at all, although Ichigo had destroyed that carefully laid-out plan. But before, hadn't he been enraged? Hadn't dark fury clouded the other's eyes, making them almost black?

"Seems like I have a knack for deranging things…though I can't say that I'm sorry."

"I will make sure that you can't do that _ever_ again."

And, even if it sounded somewhat like a threat, the boy couldn't help but feel that maybe, Aizen had been worried about him.

Considering it for a moment, the youth shook his head. No, that couldn't be. Still…he didn't think that he could just kill the former Shinigami anymore.

Maybe, if Soul Society were to just capture and convince him…Now he sounded brainwashed.

But what he didn't know was that his decision had consequences. For the little blue knifes shattered into little pieces and with it the possibly only chance to destroy the man that had gained unearthly powers…

"My debt to you, Beloved,  
Is one I cannot pay  
In any coin of any realm  
On any reckoning day."  
Jessie B. Rittenhouse

(Last Chapter for now...)


	5. Cherry Blossoms In The Moonlight Part 1

Cherry Blossoms In The Moonlight (Old)

--Prologue--

Soul Society- a world full of surprises and wonders. In a place like Soul Society, nothing was impossible. Here, where the spirits of the dead lived, where the mysterious creatures named Shinigami resided. It had always been special; whether that was because of the spiritual energy you could literally feel in the air, inhale with every breath you took, or because of the sheer beauty of the landscape.

Brilliant white buildings, pavements made out of the finest marble, blooming cherry blossom trees that filled your nostrils with the finest of scents, dark, gloomy-looking houses with dusty windows and mysteries hidden within- Soul Society had it all.

But those wondrous locations weren't why currently, Death Gods and deceased people alike held their breaths in baneful anticipation. Because, what most persons didn't realise, Soul Society had a dark side too.

For centuries, the Execution Grounds, holy for the protectors of the spiritual world, had been a shadow in Soul Society's history, no matter how some tried to deny it. Countless progressive Shinigami had found their end here, just for the mere ,crime' of having another viewpoint.

This time, however, something entirely else was shaking the earthly grounds, was making the bystanders tremble- a fight was going on. The shrill clashing of metal on metal resounded, fierce battle cries vouched for the heath of his fight. Two impressive reiatsu sources collided, which would have instantly killed any normal human, for alone their powers alone were bone crushing.

The opponents didn't care, though. Their eyes were fixated on the other, their gazes intense and unfathomable at the same time. They were so concentrated on each other that one could easily think that they weren't brawling, but flirting, participating in a dance full of passion.

"Why does it have to end here?" an enraged, but mostly sore sounding voice shouted.

It belonged to the smaller man of the two. Looking carefully, you could spot that he still had to be very young, probably in the latter half of his teens. His unruly, cheek-length hair seemed to glow in the barely visible sun, emphasising the uniquely beautiful tangerine-toned colour of his locks.

Because of the slight tan his skin held, the orange only stood out more, harmonising perfectly with stunning chocolate-brown eyes that now blazed with the indefinable emotions they contained, what made them all the more intriguing, for they seemed to glow. A lean body, although not quite yet out of the awkwardness of puberty, was clothed mostly in bandages and the ragged remains of the traditional Shinigami uniform most wore here.

Though the boy appeared to be a bit on the short side, a large, imposing-seeming sword was firmly grasped in both hands effortlessly, with no problems to lift its weight.

Solidly, a frown was plastered over the delicate and elegant yet boyish face, showing the displeasure the young male must have felt at the moment.

"Is that really all that is important to you?" he yelled again, this time betrayal seeped from his tone, as well as a certain helplessness, although he was attacking while saying those words.

Blocking the hit easily, his enemy continued to stare at him with a serious, stony expression that guarded his current emotions effectively. This man could very well be described as the former one's exact opposite-

Instead of a fiery, glistening mop of hair, he possessed smooth locks that fell freely and fluidly down to his shoulders. They were of the darkest ebony, with a tinge of marine blue in them. The kenseikan, a white headpiece that spoke of nobility, completed the picture.

Furthermore, he had pale, creamy skin that could be compared with the pale rays of a full moon or the unblemished loveliness of a porcelain doll. Irises that resembled sapphires, because they weren't only gorgeous, but also hard and meaningful, expressed his character perfectly, for they may seem immoveable, but one liked to imagine how breathtakingly they would look full with emotion, molten and like the colour of the sky.

As all Death Gods of his rank and status did, he wore a snow-white Haori over his midnight black Hakama that harmonised well with the scarf slung around his neck, which was mint green in colour and softly flowing in the mild breeze.

Because of his calm, mannered exterior and the fact that he was holding a long, thin blade, which was exquisitely crafted, he appeared to be much older and more composed than his foe.

Though the downward curving of his fine, thin lips betrayed that he wasn't satisfied or happy with the situation either. Apparently, however, it did nothing to change his resolve.

"How did things escalate like this?" the orange-haired teenager bellowed, narrowly avoiding a broadside, while making an artistic flip backwards which few persons would have been able to imitate.

"Before all of this, I loved you! Now I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" he croaked, like thinking about those times he had been happy alone would now break him in a thousand pieces.

"But most of all…" the smaller Soul Reaper hollered, wincing as he met the other's Zanpakutō with his own.

Both gazed each other, neither willing to give up.

"…I hate…"

They were catapulted a few metres away, preparing for another clash.

"That I can't stop loving you!"

It was just a whisper. But it brought all the memories back, mementos of their life together, their wishes and the future that they had wished to experience with each other. Now, their dreams seemed broken, like splintered mirror.

"Can't you see…"

_--Flashback, a few months prior to the battle--_

"…_That you can't go in this state?"_

_Ukitake Jushiro, the white-haired, sickly Captain of the thirteenth Division, sighed- for what he believed to be the fiftieth time this day. Why did most of his substitutes have to be stubborn, bad-tempered or both? Not that he didn't appreciate them, their assistance and loyalty meant very much to him to be exact, but sometimes he just wanted to knock some sense into their thick heads. _

_Like it was the case here. In front of him, on a white bed, lay Kuchiki Rukia, one of his most favoured underlings, sweating and panting. Her messy, midnight black hair was even more unkempt than usual, while her delicate, white hands were dug into the blankets. Like that, her petite frame was all the more present; she seemed so…breakable at the moment. _

_Due to a Hollow attack just a few days ago, she had been badly wounded. Now, he had to force her to stay here. Although he had ordered her to patrol the human world for some time, he couldn't send her when she was in such a bad shape._

_Frowning, he took in her face, she was grimacing in pain, clutching her stomach, where a bloody wound gaped, one of the many the enemy had inflicted on her, but one of the more severe ones. It had been an extraordinarily strong one; otherwise it wouldn't have injured her that badly. Nowadays, many of those had appeared and it worried the Captain. _

_Was that a sign that something was about to happen? _

_Right now, however, all his concern was needed for the young woman. Hopefully, he would be able to talk some sense into her, or he would never hear the end of it- she had a very protective brother. Sweating, the man remembered that the Kuchiki clan, one of the Four Great Noble Families, had the particular character trait to be a bit possessive when it came to those that were dear to them. _

_Not that he was afraid to stand up to her older sibling, but he would certainly try to avoid a confrontation. A man had just so much luck and he favoured his life, thank you very much! _

"_Don't worry, Rukia-chan, I'll find someone else, so don't strain yourself…"_

"_No," she coughed, "I have to…"_

_Her words were cut short when someone else entered. You could identify him easily because of his tall build and the businesslike expression on his face, something that surprisingly attracted many women, something Jushiro couldn't quite understand._

"_Nii-sama…" the black-haired girl squeaked, trying to stand up, just to sink back down with a pained groan._

"_I've heard about the predicament you are in. The order must not be disturbed. I am ready to take her place during the time she is unable to do so," Sixth Division's leader announced in a dignified voice. _

_While his sister tried to protest weakly, the silver-haired man gaped. That man had never volunteered to go to the human world! He really did love his sister after all…Jushiro hoped. _

"_A-are you sure? Don't you have work and tasks to do too?" he asked after a moment of silence. _

_Dark blue eyes stared back at him in silent accusation before an answer came._

"_Of course I would never neglect my duties; however, everything is taken care of. I can do paperwork in the mortal's world too and my squad has already gotten its commands."_

_Speechlessly, the two members of the thirteenth Division watched Kuchiki Byakuya leave. At that point, they didn't know that his decision to represent his adoptive sibling would change everything, the course of history, Soul Society and of course his own life._

_Although a lot of troubles would arise with that too…_

--A few months later, Execution Grounds, the battle continues--

"Byakuya, I won't back down! So, if you want to stop the fight, you have to give up!" the orange-haired boy pleaded, although his fingers were still firmly slung around the hilt of his sword, ready to attack or defend at any moment, if it would be necessary.

For a moment, something akin to feelings flickered in the blue depth, before that moment of weakness vanished, only to be replaced by an even more intense coldness. Sapphire orbs hardened, to the point where they could easily cut through anything that entered their line of vision. Still, the brown eyes gazing into them did not give up, continued to stubbornly defy their blue counterparts hardness.

"I won't. A whelp like you can't beat me, even in a hundred years- and you know that. I will protect Soul Society's laws, even if that means to beat and drag my own husband home…"

(End Prologue)

"The way you let your hand rest in mine, my bewitching Sweetheart, fills me with happiness. It is the perfection of confiding love. Everything you do, the little unconscious things in particular, charms me and increases my sense of nearness to you, identification with you,  
till my heart is full to overflowing." By Woodrow Wilson

--Chapter 01--

There was something in the air…something that differed from the usual days. An epic fight was going on and its outcome would influence the destiny of many people. So Soul Society's inhabitants held their breaths, waiting for a clinch, anticipating the inevitable. Intensely, brown locked with blue, two forces collided, but neither of the two men staring so fiercely at each other made any move, it was as if they were frozen.

The words his lover had spoken still echoed in the orange-haired teenager's ears, but it didn't change his resolve to fight, no matter how much it hurt to hear them, regardless of the fact that this battle wasn't what he had ever wished for. And it really pained him to know that he wasn't even worth as much as law and order to his husband.

Although he had come to love the other, Byakuya probably still saw him as nothing more than an imposition. Of course it broke his heart over and over again whenever he thought about it, but the young man named Ichigo was a fighter, someone who wouldn't give up so easily.

First, he had to clear this mess, after that, he would make the black-haired beauty cherish him. Even liking would be enough for him; everything was better than this cold indifference. For now, he had to be strong, had to concentrate on the battle. If only it was already over. Somehow, he had the feeling that this quarrel would leave them both broken in one way or another.

Hopefully, there was still a chance to convince the head of the Kuchiki Clan and to rescue Rukia, the girl he now adored like a sister. That was why he steeled himself, hardened his heart for the time being, so that he could do what he had to.

"I've grown, I'm not weak anymore! Now I can beat you anytime!" the boy bit back, his knuckles were already white because he was clutching onto his sword so hard, using it as the only anchor, the only source of strength he had left.

Something foreign flashed in his opponent's irises, before they hardened again, becoming distant and emotionless like always.

"Very well then. Don't think I will go easy on you…Scatter, Senbonzakura!"

Seeing the petals of pink, the younger male couldn't help but view his enemy's beautiful Shikai for one moment with admiration. Their frail complexion, combined with their light, pale colour made them seem fragile, although they were anything but. Those cherry blossoms were deathly weapons that had beaten more than one enemy. And, as he already had learned, it was deadly to just watch this attack. Not without reason was his husband one of the thirteen strongest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Lifting his Zangetsu, Ichigo silently thought over his tactic. Today, he would show the other that he was worth something, for that, he had trained hard. The moment to show his true power had almost come…still, he couldn't probably concentrate.

All the while, pictures of the past flashed in his mind, repeated themselves like a broken record. Even though he was about to deal with one of the most important matches he had so far in his life, those memories wouldn't stop to surface. Now, everything depended on him, the young, rebellious lad who wouldn't have been able to imagine this situation three months ago, when everything had started.

Or had everything been already set when he had been born? Well, he had never been normal, but he would have never figured his life would become quite like this…

"Answer me, Kuchiki Byakuya? Is this world's peace all you care about? What about Rukia? Isn't she important to you? And me? Do you even give a damn about me?? I need an answer…"

--Flashback, three months ago, somewhere on Earth, Japan--

"_Who the hell are you?" a young man asked indignantly, kneeling down next to his fallen friend. _

_The afternoon sun was falling down on him, shining on his growling face. Maybe you could describe him as your normal, every-day bully. He wasn't very handsome, but no particularly ugly either, although the hat he wore gave him an aura of delinquency. _

_Three of his pals were staring at the person that had dared to attack one of their group, a nonchalant-looking guy with spiky, gravity-defying hair. The colour of his mane had the same colour as the last rays of the sun, something that was quite rare, given that they were in Japan, a fact that angered the gang members all the more. _

_  
"You come here and stomp on Yama-chan's face and now yer telling us to get outta the way?" one of them, apparently their leader, screeched. _

_As an answer, the young teenager with the unusual mane only rubbed the back of his head, humming absently as he gazed at the older male's face. Opposite to his own boyish and somewhat delicate visage, the punk questioning him was beefy, with a light blue cap covering his slick black locks. Dark eyes were placed into a long, rough face and a black beard partly hid thin lips. A golden pendant glowed in the dim light. _

"_Say something, you…" the thug demanded, ready to throw a punch at him. _

_Before he could, however, he was knocked down by one of his opponent's well-aimed kicks. After training on his Dad for years, the teenager was really good at that, so it was no surprise knocked the beater flying. As a bit of revenge, and for good measure, he continued to boot the guy lightly a few more times. _

"_He dropped Toshi-rin…" one of the basher's companions gasped. _

_All three of them weren't exactly prettier than their comrade and they were just as cowardly, at least in the boy's opinion. It was almost funny to watch them. They wouldn't be forgiven so easily for what they had done, however. Even if they were some entertaining idiots. _

"_Crap." "He's crazy!" he could hear their frantic whispers. _

_Bashing their leader's face in the asphalt for one last time, he turned to them. _

"_Shut up!" he bellowed harshly, one hand balled to a fist and his expression grim, "All of you, look at that!" he pointed at a vase that had once been filled with beautiful pink flowers, but was now tumbled over, lying on the ground dejectedly and forgotten. _

"_Question One: What is that?" the orange-haired male asked seriously, "You there, in the middle, answer!" _

_Somehow, it was enlightening to see the addressed one's expression crunch up in fear. How often had he been beaten up like that from types just like those? That thought made his resolution to teach them a lesson all the more resolute. _

"_U-um… An offering for some kid who died here?" the man half-replied, half-stuttered. _

"_Correct!" he hollered, awarding the speaker with another kick. _

"_Mitch-chan!" the bigger one of his friends cried. _

"_Question Two: Why is that vase lying on its side?" he continued to interrogate them, his face now turning to the remaining few, his tone enraged and cold at the same time. _

"_That's because…we knocked it over with our skateboards…" was confessed. _

"_Right again!" the young pupil squalled, kicking one and knocking over the other with an elbow check, "You pull of something like this again…"_

_For show, he gave them the deadliest look he could muster, which must have been quite scary- or at least he hoped so, before he continued. _

"…_And people will be offering __**you**__ flowers!" _

_This had the desired effect, for the punks ran off after squealing like little girls would have, dragging their beaten pals along. _

"_We're sorry!" hearing their screams, the teenager huffed, arms crossed over his chest. _

_  
"I don't think they will be back again," he sighed, turning around to the vase. _

"_I'll bring you fresh flowers tomorrow," he said kindly to the transparent girl appearing before his eyes. _

_She was younger than him, had brown hair that was pulled up in pigtails and a gentle, warming smile. A torn off chain could be seen coming from the middle of her chest. _

"_Thank you for getting rid of them. Now I can rest peacefully, Onii-chan," she said in a clear voice, her dark brown eyes glittering and rivalling the sunlight in intensity. _

_As an answer, the orange-haired male lifted up the vase and placed it carefully under the streetlight again. _

"_You're welcome. Rest in peace!" he shouted at her, waving his arm in goodbye. _

_,I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Fifteen years old. Highschool freshman. My family runs the local clinic. We're entrusted with people's lives, and I don't know if it's because of that or what, but…as far back as I can remember, I've been seeing ghosts as if it's a normal thing.'_

-_-Scene shift; a little bit later, nightfall--_

_Finally, the last warm rays vanished as the sun sunk down and the night began. Dark shadows settled over the peaceful landscape, twisting the dull, stony streets into something possibly dangerous. Grey clouds hid the clear sky, with only some stars lightening the scenery up every now and then. Many humans were uncomfortable with or even feared this time of the day because it was so mysterious, evil deeds could be easily hidden in the fog that hid the world and concealed everything._

_Its cold beauty fascinated some. A few only tried to hide their dirty secrets in the darkness. But the obsidian-coloured butterfly, flapping its wings in the barely existent wind, could care less about all that. For it wasn't any normal animal, it had been created for a certain mission. And now, it was on its way to report to its master, who was probably already waiting for it. _

_Because it was moving on noiselessly, mortals would never lay eyes on this completely black being, but they weren't aware of spiritual things anyway, so it had nothing to fear. Finally, it arrived at its destination. On a street lamp stood a man- but others would have probably mistaken him for a statue._

_Not only because he was motionless, but also because of his unearthly beauty. His long, raven-black hair was carefully combed although in the darkness, you couldn't see the blue tinges it had. The butterfly's Lord was tall, with a muscular, but also slim and elegant build. _

_What was most noticeable, however, was his pale skin, which seemed to glow a blinding white and which was in huge contrast with the surroundings. Sapphire blue eyes, seeming like hardened jewels, silently ordered the animal to give its report. Without hesitation, it complied, merging with its master's reiatsu again. _

_After all, it had been made by the man's power in the first place. Then, silence settled in and the male was quiet for only a moment, before he stared ahead again, his expression still emotionless, but maybe a bit thoughtful. _

"_Strong spiritual energy…is nearby?" he murmured to himself, complimenting this for a bit. _

_A second later, he left the place he had been resting on, leaping up into the air effortlessly. Nobody on earth would ever know about the figure, because the night was his best supporter…how could the man have known that soon, his life would completely change because of a mortal being able to see him?_

_--Scene shift--_

_At the same time, Kurosaki Ichigo opened the door to the house his family lived in. _

"_I'm home!" he called, already envisioning what food his little sister would have prepared for dinner. _

_She was a great cook and that was good, for his father couldn't make something eatable even if his life depended on it…Speaking of his Dad… _

"_You're late!" a man shouted, sending his only son flying with a kick aimed at his chin. _

_Kurosaki Isshin was a doctor in his forties, someone with a grim-looking face, dark eyes and brown hair that stood up even more than his child's wild mane. This evening, he was still wearing his white working coat and under that a colourful, embarrassing Hawaii shirt._

"_You delinquent! Dinner in this house is at seven o'clock!" his old man scolded. _

"_Bastard! Is that how you greet your son, who just helped a ghost find peace?!"_

"_Shut up! No matter what the reason, those who break the rules in this house will be punished!" _

_As weird as it sounded, this was their daily routine- they would always fight as soon as the teenager came home. Sometimes, it annoyed him, on other occasions; he wasn't so bothered by it because for once, he could let his aggressions out. _

"_Or what? Are you just rubbing in the fact that you can touch and talk to ghosts while I can't?" _

_Today, however, all he wanted was to have some peace. That was why this bickering did nothing to brighten his mood. Why did he have to keep up with a father like __**that**__?!_

"_Shut up! It's not like I want to see them!" he replied back grumpily._

"_Cut it out, you two. Dinner's getting cold!" Yuzu begged. _

_Although you wouldn't guess it, she was a strong person, who had taken up to care for the household after their mother's death. Her brown eyes were much like his own, only wider, and showed her kindness. Like their Mum had, she also possessed light, mahogany-coloured hair that barely reached her shoulders in a neat hairstyle. A white apron was securely slung around her petite figure. _

"_Just leave them alone, Yuzu. Seconds, please," her twin answered stoically. _

_If you didn't know that they were born at the same day, you wouldn't even think of them as sisters, they were completely different in both personality and appearance. Karin had a healthier tan than her sibling, her black hair was untamed and a bit shorter than her twin's locks were and the colour of her irises was a shade darker. _

_Also, she preferred football to house chores and resembled a boy more than anything. One wouldn't be able to imagine that she had been a crybaby once. _

"_But, Karin-chan…" the more soft-spoken of the sisters protested weakly. _

_While at the same time, Ichigo had finally succeeded to elbow his father. Now, he was pointing a finger at him accusingly, still very pissed and enraged. Couldn't their Dad be a bit more…normal?!_

"_You know what? Making a healthy teenager come home by seven is way too…"_

"_Ichi-nii, you have a new friend haunting you…" Karin cut in harshly. _

_Looking back over his shoulder, the young man stumbled. There was another transparent figure, this time an old male with a necktie and glasses! Why didn't they stop to haunt him already?! What did they think he was anyway?_

"_What the…?! When did he…?" he cried, striking at the uninvited intruder. _

"_I keep on exorcising and exorcising them, but they just won't leave me alone!" he added dissatisfiedly, while the black-haired girl put her chopsticks down. _

"_Thank you for the meal," she spoke, turning to her brother, who was still busy with trying to chase the ghost away. _

_Phlegmatically, she watched the display. _

"_Ichi-nii's in such high demand; he's the all-in-one ghost medium."_

"_But, you know, I wish I could do the same," Yuzu smiled, "All I can do is sense their presence, but I can't see them at all."_

"_I don't believe in ghosts anyway," her sibling replied lazily. _

"_What? But you can see them too, right, Karin-chan? Only Dad can't see them…"_

"_It doesn't matter if I can see them or not. If I refuse to believe in them, it's like they don't exist," Karin huffed, her frowning expression still unaltered as she said this._

"_How cold!" the spirit exclaimed, speaking out the other's thoughts exactly. _

"_Gimme dinner," Ichigo sighed, wondering again why the hell he had to keep up with this crazy family. _

_Really, this couldn't be normal…and why was it him who had to endure this? While so lost in thought, his father starting an attack hit him by surprise. _

"_Gotcha!" Isshin sang triumphantly while holding his son in a stranglehold._

_Enough was enough for the poor boy. Freeing himself of the hold, he landed a solid punch, which finally silenced the flipped-out doctor. Stroking his aching cheek with distain, the teenager growled. _

"_Forget it. I'm going to sleep," was all he grumbled before he left the room, ignoring his sister's: "Onii-chan!"_

"_It's your fault, Dad," Karin clarified, shaking her head with disbelief at his antics. _

"_Why?!" their father whimpering, standing up from the floor abruptly, looking like a kicked puppy._

"_Onii-chan has been under a lot of pressure lately," Yuzu explained patiently. _

"_Now that you mention it, he said that he has been seeing more of them lately…"_

"_What?! He talks to you guys about those things?! He never…"_

"_Of course. Who would want to bring their problems to you?" the black-haired girl interfered, "You're over forty, but you have the emotional maturity of a preschooler!"_

_Frustrated by those words, the man ran to a big poster, which hung in the middle of their living room. It showed a beautiful woman with long, light brown hair, a delicate face and full red lips, which were curved up in a pretty smile. Her loveliness was only emphasised by the flowers that were painted under her picture, their colourful variety making her shine. _

"_Okaa-san! It's probably because they've hit puberty, but our daughters treat me like dirt! What should I do?" their Dad whined pathetically, only earning annoyed glances from his children. _

"_Why don't you take down that stupid memorial photo first?" Karin recommended. _

_Ichigo, hearing his families' argument, let himself fall down on his bed, eyeing the ceiling of his room without really seeing it. Why didn't his daily life satisfy him anymore? Somehow, it was like he was waiting for something more, for someone…Of course, that was stupid. _

_This was how things were, dreaming of a stranger that would take him away was completely irrational and he knew it. Closing his eyes, he repeated this again and again. Pity that he didn't know yet that his life would change dramatically soon…_

_--Scene Shift, at the same time at Soul Society--_

_Someone else was also having depressing thoughts, but of an entirely different kind. Kuchiki Rukia sniffled loudly as she patched up her beaten body with new bandages. To be truthful, she was feeling guilty. Her Nii-sama had been so generous to adopt her, to take her into his Clan like it was nothing. _

_Since then, he had always been there for her, hadn't been overly emotional or talkative like a real brother maybe would have, but he had showed his affection in other ways. She had always understood and silently enjoyed the trust he had placed in her. _

_Even though she didn't know the details, she had learned that Byakuya was someone who had to deal with many losses in his life and now, he didn't allow himself to let others in so easily. But to the few he did open up to, he was absolutely loyal. _

_Sighing, she looked at her Zanpakut__ō, which lay dejectedly next to her bedding. Now she felt really bad for having him do her task. Didn't she know best how much work it was to be the Captain of a Div__ision? After all, she had seen her Nii-sama, buried in paper work, trying to finish them, even if it was the middle of the night already. _

_Despite that, he already stood up first every morning and did everything he was ordered to flawlessly. __Sometimes, she really wondered how he did that. She wasn't as strong as him (or that was what she always told herself) and would never be. Still…_

"_I can't just stay here! It's best if I go to earth and tell him that I'm fit enough to do my job…" resolutely, she nodded to herself. _

_Although she couldn't stop the wince that escaped her mouth as she stood up, she did manage to keep standing and this time, her vision wasn't fuzzy. Taking a deep breath, she took one step. So what if she was still a bit shaky? For her, the decision was already made- she wouldn't burden her adoptive brother anymore than she already had…_

-_-Scene shift, Ichigo's home, the next morning--_

_The first rays of sun fell on the simple but homely-looking house made of wood. The windows were clean and shiny, the white balcony well cared for. Faint noises were coming from inside, despite the earliness. _

"_We're here, live at Karakura City," a reporter said, his voice coming from the television. _

"_According to local residents, they heard a large crashing sound and felt the ground shake at 7:30 AM…and saw many building walls explode. Fortunately, there have been no injuries reported…" just as the commentator trailed off, the door of the living room was opened. _

_Tiredly, Ichigo entered, fully clothed in his normal school uniform attire, which consisted of plain, grey pants and a jacket in the same boring colour, with red streaks on it. Although it wasn't a very beautiful vestment, it contrasted with his orange hair in such a way that he did look handsome in it, what had earned him the attention of some bullies before. _

"_Good morning, Onii-chan!" Yuzu greeted just as cheerfully as she always did. _

"_Good morning. Where's Dad?" the teenager asked, looking around. _

_Usually, that crazy old man would attack him by now, crying some stupid things about his son having to be aware of attacks…today, however, it was quiet. Eerily quiet, if you asked him, who was already used to the early commotion. Still, only his two siblings were in the room, while one did the dish washing, the other was still busy with drinking a cup of coffee. _

"_He's at a meeting, so he's not coming home tonight," Karin answered as grumpily as ever._

"_I see," he said thoughtfully, grabbing a toast, before the television report caught his attention._

"…_Investigators and explosives experts are currently looking for the cause…"_

"_What's the matter?" the brown-haired girl asked worriedly, seeing her brother's intense gaze._

"_That's close to here," he responded, his words barely understandable because of the food still in his mouth._

_It was a bad habit of his, but his sister didn't want to reprimand him right now just because of that, for she was far more worried about his sudden interest in that case. Why did he care if it was close by? And why did he suddenly look like he remembered something important?_

_Before she could ask, however, he had already seized his bag and was hurrying out of the front door, his eyebrows still drawn together in concentration. _

_--Scene Shift--_

_,Keep Out' was written on the bright yellow band of the police. Behind it was the region in which the mysterious earthquakes had taken place. Ichigo, however, could care less about it. Without sparing it a glance, he passed it, carefully eying the flowers in his bag. Finally, after five minutes of walking, he reached the all too familiar streetlight. _

"_Hey!" he called, waiting for an answer. _

_None came. Strange…Normally, the ghost of the little girl would appear the second he approached her dying place…so why wasn't she here now? That's when he heard it- a cry in the distance. It sounded positively frightened and was high-pitched…he knew that voice! Grinding his teeth together, he ran in the direction the holler had come from. _

_Just as he had reached a busy street, a building next to him began to explode. People shouted and tried to get away as fast as possible as the huge house collapsed out of nowhere. Only he continued on, his breath fast and frantic as thick, murky mist obstructed his view, making him cough a few times. When the haze lifted, a figure appeared. No human would ever look like that- its face was white and its grin revealed large, canine-like teeth. _

_Instead of a nose, it had nostrils, while its eyes glowed in a venom-green. Strange purple strips were on its face. The rest of the monster's body was a muddy brown. Easily, it reached a skyscraper in size. _

"_W-what the…?" the teenager stumbled rather stupidly in consideration of this sight. _

"_Onii-chan!" _

_Another person emerged from the fog, a smaller creature this time- the ghost he knew! _

"_Run!" he bellowed, turning around while yelling this to also make a run for it. _

_That thing, it seemed however, wouldn't give up so easily. Baring its clip arms, it followed them. _

"_What is that?" the girl wanted to know, though she didn't slow down while asking._

"_I don't know!" he bit back, now throughout confused. _

_Why was that monstrosity after them? They had good changes, they could do it, after all, that thing had to be slow…Well, that had been his thoughts before his companion stumbled and fell flat on her face. _

"_Hey! Get up!" he ordered, swinging around to help her. _

_Never would he be so cowardly to leave a little child alone! Not even in the face of impending danger. Of course, when the beast closed in and opened its mouth, roaring triumphantly, ready to eat them, he couldn't help but be at unease. A little, embarrassing noise escaped his lips. _

_So this was it then, this had been his life. Leastwise, he had done something good, he had tried to rescue someone before his death, so that he wouldn't die with any regrets. Because he couldn't move anymore, all he did was to stare at the monster that would probably kill him in a few seconds. Barely did he notice the little black butterfly that flew past his face. _

_What he did realise, however, was the person that had suddenly emerged in front of him. She was a petite woman; completely clothed in a weird, black Haori, her short, smooth hair flapping in the wind ever so softly. _

_With enormous speed, she unsheathed the sword that was affixed on her belt. In the blink of an eye, she had slit the beast's face in half, landing gracefully next to Ichigo and the spirit, before she leapt in the air again, just to finish the monster off with another attack. _

"_H-hey…" bewildered, the orange-haired boy could do nothing but to stare at her as she turned around, showing her rather impressive blue eyes._

_But what came next was even stranger, for she was just about to take her leave, (completely ignoring him!) as she collapsed. Just like that, after taking two steps. Barely did the young male manage to catch her, looking at her pale face. Was she hurt? That couldn't be…hadn't she beaten that gigantic thing easily?_

_Around him, everything returned to normal, like that crazy incident had never happened at all. Though the female in his arms was proof that did have occurred. Questions…so many of them swirled in his head at the moment, but they would have to wait, for the only one that could answer them didn't seem in a good condition at the moment._

_Nodding to himself inwardly, he picked her up. There were some good aspects to being the son of a doctor, at least in situations like these…_

_--Scene Shift, a little bit later, Ichigo's house--_

_The first thing Rukia felt was blinding pain._

_It crept its way down her shoulders to her waist and let her moan in agony. Why had she been so stupid to move with injuries like this? At the moment, she couldn't remember. There had been a Hollow and she had been searching for something…Ah, yes! Her Nii-sama! While looking for him, she had stumbled upon the vengeful spirit and just had to eliminate it. Now she regretted her decision. _

_Obviously, she had barely been able to stay conscious long enough to wound it critically. Hopefully, it was completely destroyed, or she would get in trouble later. For surely, she wasn't dead yet- well, she was, but not wiped off existence- because if her soul had been erased, she wouldn't be sensing this ache. _

_Trying to find out where she was, the Shinigami concentrated. One thing was for sure; she was lying on something soft. As good as it felt, however, it only served to make her more uncomfortable._ _Humans couldn't see her- so why wasn't she still on the hard street? _

_Suddenly, warm hands touched her forehead with great care, but she still flinched away from them, opening her eyes instantly. The brightness of the room made it hard for her to see anything for a minute or two, before her vision became clear again. Apparently, she was in a normal bed, with a young mortal gazing at her worriedly. _

"_How are you feeling?" he asked gently, but the woman couldn't answer. _

_His voice, his brown, intense eyes, his appearance, everything on him…was painfully familiar. He reminded her so much of someone, who he resembled she couldn't grasp at the moment, that she forgot to breath. Well, until he pinched her cheek. Yelping, she glared at him while rubbing her sore flesh._

"_Why did you do that?" she asked, before she realised something, "One moment…you can see me?!"_

_But…nobody was supposed to even feel their presence! So why?! Crossing his arms over his chest and rolling his eyes mockingly, the spiky-haired male sighed theatrically. _

"_You're not exactly inconspicuous, you know. Plus I'm not blind. So yes, I can –see- you."_

_Like one would with a child, he pecked her forehead with one finger, before he continued._

"_Although I really don't know what is going on. One moment, I'm running from that big thing and then, you just come and slash it into pieces! As if that wouldn't be enough, you faint on me! That's why I and her-" he paused one moment to point at a young ghost nonchalantly, "Brought you here. My father runs the local clinic, so I managed to patch you up somehow."_

_With wide eyes, she continued to survey him, before she gulped._

"_And you can really spot them? Me? This spirit? Even the Hollow?" she whispered. _

"_Why wouldn't I be able to see you?" Rubbing the back of his head, the boy looked at her as if she was insane, before he patted her hair soothingly. _

"_Don't worry, maybe because of your fall, you're a bit confused…"_

"_Well, listen, you brat, I'll probably have to explain a few things to you but-"_

_A cry interrupted the end of her sentence. When hearing it, the human that had found her had gone pale, while the ghostly girl cowered behind her bed, shivering and biting her lip._

"_Wasn't that…Yuzu?!" he whispered, before he stood up abruptly, running out of the room._

"_Wait!" she cried, stumbling out of the bedding rather clumsily. _

_Just as she had reached the door, she felt it, an overwhelming power that made her injury ache all the more._

"_Hollow? But…why didn't I feel it? Dammit!" she cursed, following the human who had reacted so hastily and carelessly. _

_--Scene Shift--_

"_What the heck? Another one of those!" Ichigo growled. _

_But what made him go frantic was the fact that it had Karin, whose face resembled a grimace right now. This creature looked almost exactly like the other, but its body was green and the colouring of its white mask was a bit different. That was not what the boy cared about, though. Yuzu lay on the ground, one of her hand stretched out, as if to reach him. Obviously, she was wounded. _

"_Karin-chan…She…Onii-chan…Please, help…Karin-chan…" she breathed weakly. _

"_Stop it! Stop it! Get away!" _

_All the while, her twin was trying to free herself, but her struggles were in vain, for she had no chance against the gigantic beast that was clutching onto her, grinning madly while doing so. It made him despaired and mad at the same time to see this. _

"_Karin!" he hollered, dashing to her, not caring that he himself wouldn't stand a chance too. _

_After all, he was just human, and not even a very big one at that. _

"_Ichi-nii! Run!" his black-haired sibling yelled upon seeing him, but he didn't listen to her, all he cared about was that the most precious thing he had, next to his friends, his family, was getting hurt and he could do nothing about it. _

"_I found you!" the creature grinned as it saw him approaching, its expression becoming even more sinister. _

_Grabbing a chair next to him, he stormed to the being, ready to free his sister at any cost. Before he could, however, a glittering blade had already sunk itself in the monster's leg. Crying, it let go of the young female it still held in its grasp. _

_Barely, Ichigo managed to catch Karin, while he himself landed roughly, his back would be sore for a while, that was for sure. But he didn't care for that, either. Shaking the motionless girl frantically, fright overwhelmed him, took control of his body, as all he could do was stare at her face. _

"_Karin! Hey!" he called weakly, his voice already hoarse and breaking. _

"_Stay calm. It has not devoured your little sister's soul yet," those words caught him by surprise. _

_Because of his concern, he hadn't noticed that the woman he had found had followed him or that the beast had retreated for now. Gazing up at her, he bit his lip._

"_Are you sure?" he dared to question weakly, all power he had felt inside of himself suddenly seemed to have vanished, leaving him only with the painful conclusion that he had been so close, so heartbreakingly close, to losing another member of his family. _

"_Yes. It is seeking a soul with a much higher spirit energy density. I get it now. The Hollow from noon was not after that girl," the strange swordswoman whispered to herself. _

"_What do you…Tell me what is going on already, because I have absolutely no idea!" he demanded, frustrated with her, himself and the entire predicament in general. _

"_I don't know why, but your spirit energy has been completely sealed up until now. That's why I didn't sense anything and Hollow's never attacked you. This is just a conjecture, but perhaps the spirit energy that was sealed within your body…began to flow out due to the influence of the female ghost you touched. In other words, those two sensed the denseness of your soul from the girl. They are all after you."_

"_Hollow? Spiritual energy?…They are after…me?" _

_Nothing made sense anymore to him. Either this chick was completely wacko, or he was too dumb to follow her line of thought. Maybe this was some psycho dream? Would pinching himself help? Before he could sulk about it some more, however, a black hole opened and out of nowhere, the…thing materialised again. He watched as the strange woman tightened her hold on her Katana._

"_Hey, what are you doing? You can't fight him in your state!" he exclaimed, running to her. No, this time, he had to take action! How he should beat something that big was still questionable, but she could barely stand right now! _

_And apparently, she wasn't very grateful either, for she shoved him away, rescuing him from the beast's attack that had been aimed in his direction. Blood flew as the wound she had reopened again, but she had managed to damage the monster's teeth. Falling to her knees, she panted heavily._

"_Baka! What were you doing? Against a Hollow, you stand no chance! Run now and take your sister with you! I'll try to avert it for the time being…"_

_Firmly, he placed himself in front of her, shielding her from the monster. _

"_You'll die if I would allow that! Also, don't order me around!" he hissed._

"_Don't you see that he wants to devour you? Foolish brat, get away from here…"_

_It was already too late, though. Ichigo's brown eyes widened as he saw the Hollow's face approaching, a confident expression plastered on it. For the second time that day, he asked himself if this was the end of his life. This time, it had to be, what would be able to save him now? _

_But he couldn't think like that! Since ever, he could very well fight for himself! And that was what he would do- avenge his family, show that fish-eyed freak that nobody should mess with him! Behind him, the female screeched, just as he was about to be eaten. Something inside of him, however, told him that it wouldn't. No, he wouldn't let him! _

_Blue light surrounded him, built a barrier around him and blasted the critter away like it was only a fly. At the same time, the teenager felt all breath being pressed out of his lungs._

_His throat contradicted and he sunk down, panting harshly. Apparently, that one shock wave had cost him all of his power._

_Surely, he wouldn't be able to pull that off again for some time. His opponent, contrary to him, seemed to be far from beaten. Pulling itself together, it cackled sardonically. _

"_Come on, little food! Let me eat you!" it jeered, before it assaulted him again. _

_Not able to stand up anymore, all other noises but his inhaling and exhaling were blended out. So this had been the craziest day in his life and it would be his last too? Maybe, if he could just activate that power once again, just one more time…too late. _

_Screwing his eyes shut, the orange-haired boy awaited the pain, the sound of bones breaking._

_Though it never came. Instead, there was a slashing sound and then cracking. Saucer-eyed, Ichigo watched as another black-garbed shadow annihilated his monstrous nemesis._

_His vision was a bit blurred, but the tall figure standing there was pretty impressive. From the woman he was currently shielding, he could hear a gasp. _

"_Nii-sama…"_

"…_Nii-sama?…" __Ichigo repeated quietly, looking at the woman he had found and then turned back to the unknown man that had just appeared. _

_Yes, there were some similarities, they both had the same hair- and eye colour, but still, they seemed to be so completely different that the teenager would have never thought that they were related at all._

_The female behind him appeared to be frail and delicate, with big, emotional blue eyes and untamed black hair, which just barely reached her shoulders, while the one that had saved him, however, radiated a sense of power, his whole behaviour demanded respect. Not just that, he moved with the utmost grace and elegance, like only members of noble families did. _

_His obsidian mane was longer than his sister's locks and held a tinge of blue in them, which made them all the more beautiful and silky. Startlingly white skin contrasted with that dark colour, made him seem like a piece of art. His face held sharp, but handsome features, although his most impressive trait was his sapphire eyes, which shone in the darkness like two stars that had descended from heaven. _

"_What…?" the orange-haired boy continued to stutter. _

_Now he was really confused. Even he, who saw ghosts on a daily basis, wasn't used to seeing humans with swords fight against monsters. Wow, that sounded like some bad television series to him! Well and he was the stupid normal kid that stood there and watched the heroes do their job. Really, he had done nothing; just let himself be rescued by this guy! _

_Suddenly, he felt a bit embarrassed. After all, he was someone who couldn't even protect his own family and had to be saved by a woman and her brother…that thought left a bad taste in his mouth. What did that type think he was anyway?! Standing there, looking all cool and mysterious…Staring at him as if he was better than Ichigo! _

_How could anyone be so irritating? And why the heck did he feel so small and insignificant under that intense gaze? No matter what, he was strong, wasn't he?_

"_I told you to rest and let your wounds heal…" the man's growl interrupted the silence and the teenager winced involuntarily, until he realised that he wasn't the one the stranger had addressed. _

_Grunts and little noises of pain could be hurt behind him as the female stood up._

"_My deepest apologies…I didn't want to burden you and I felt better back then so-"_

"_Rukia." _

_The deathly calmness of the remark cut through the air sharper than any cry could. Had Ichigo been her, Rukia, how he knew now, he would have run by now for sure. Man, that guy sure could be scary and just a few moments before, he had shown his skill by cutting that monstrous thing in two with just one slash…_

_Gulping, the boy tried to stand as tall as he could, before he folded his arms over his chest in what he hoped was a intimidating way and tried to shield the woman's small body from the piercing glares that were directed at her._

"_Come on, don't be too hard to her. I don't really get it, but she only wanted to help you. After all, she is your little sister-" his voice broke as he saw how the blue eyes narrowed even further, now filled with something else than fury…_

_And that instant, the brown-eyed male understood everything, for he knew that expression all to well- that man, he…_

"_You really care for her and were just worried something would happen to her…" he breathed. _

_Harshly, while looking at him as if he was a really disgusting worm, the man turned around, letting his black Haori fly in the wind while doing so. Still, Ichigo was satisfied. So this swordsman- whoever he was anyway- wasn't a bad person! Well, at least he hoped so. Now that he felt safe enough to do so, he helped the girl to stand, for she was wobbling dangerously. _

_Carefully, he slung one arm around her waist and ignored the warningly growls her sibling emitted. Scowling at his rescuer, he tried not to look too scared._

"_I'm only trying to help her!" he bellowed, "She needs help and my family owns a clinic, so come on! If she continues to lose blood at that fast rate, I can't guarantee she'll make it…"_

"_Pray that she will, or you will suffer," was the only thing the stranger said, but it was spoken with such a conviction that Ichigo didn't doubt one moment that he would make his promise true. _

_However, he wouldn't cower in front of anyone- in the past he had, maybe, because he had been weak, but not anymore, he wouldn't let anyone order him around anymore. Still he complied and half-dragged, half-carried the petite woman in his house. _

_--Scene change, inside the house, a little bit later--_

"_Phew…" Ichigo sighed. _

_It had been hard work to patch up first Rukia, the mysterious girl that had suddenly appeared in front of him, then his sisters. Initially, he had wanted to call an ambulance, after all, his father wasn't here and he was the doctor, but the petite one was tougher than she looked, so he pretty sure she would make it through. _

_Well, now that the first shock that worn off, questions had replaced the stupor he had been in. What had that been all about? Right now, he didn't understand anything. Why had that monster attacked his siblings? How did that man beat it so easily? Who was he anyway?_

_And why had never any human seen those things before? Really, all that musing made his head hurt even more, but he had to know. After all, what should he do if one of those beasts assaulted them again? Hadn't the black-haired swordswoman said that it had appeared because of him? _

_For what reason should it have been after him, though? Despite his ability to see spirits, he was nothing special, just a grumpy delinquent with an unusual hair colour. So lost in thoughts, he nearly hadn't seen the blue-eyed male that was causally leaning against the wall in front of him. Rubbing his aching temples, he gave the other a dark look, which was returned with the same vigour, but much more grace. _

_To be correct, it was the ,I'm better than you, live with it, scumbag' look that had always managed to anger the teenager. Today, however, he had been through so lot that he just sighed tiredly, before he decided to tell his ,guest' about his sister's condition._

"_She'll be okay, but she should rest for the next time…" he muttered quietly._

_An uncomfortable silence ensued. Shifting around nervously, the younger male waited for a response, maybe a ,good' or an explanation for all the events that had happened. Nothing came. Well, ,nothing' wasn't the right word, something unexpected occurred, for his shoulders were grabbed roughly and a moment later, determined sapphire eyes stared in his own, wide ones. All tries to free himself were futile, but still, he continued to struggle._

"_What are you doing? Let go of me, I said she's alive, didn't I?" he hollered._

"_Now that her health is guaranteed, I can come to other matters," Rukia's brother finally said._

_Before Ichigo had the time to ask what the hell was wrong with him now, he continued._

"_You can see us…" his grip tightened when the boy tried to interfere. _

"_Just nod or shake your head. Any unacceptable behaviour is not allowed, __**human**__. Where was I? You are able to see Hollows?" Seeing the mortal's confused gaze, he added, "The vengeful spirit that attacked my sister just a while ago." _

_A reculant nod._

" _Have you ever, by chance, been able to sense or watch anything out of the ordinary?" the interrogation continued. _

_But enough was enough for the orange-haired teenager, so he hissed venomously and finally broke free from the hold, rubbing his abused shoulders tenderly._

"_What I see or not is none of your business, so sod off!" he spat._

"_Answer," the black-haired beauty demanded coldly. _

_Noticing that the other's aura threatened to swallow him and that the air was getting pretty thin in the house, the boy lowered his head._

"_Sometimes…ghosts appear and I can talk to them, but I've never met something like that…thing just now. Satisfied?" _

_He had lost that little battle of theirs and that was hurting his pride right now. His uninvited guest, on contrary, seemed content with the answers, well, at least that was what Ichigo thought, for you couldn't really read his expression. _

"_That would explain why I sense an unreasonably strong spiritual force from you…Normal humans shouldn't possess so much power…So they must have come for you…"_

"_Why don't you try to tell me what's going on? That would be extremely helpful!" Ichigo grumbled, liking that guy less and less with the minutes passing by. _

_Really! How rude was this stranger? Even though he was pretty handsome and seemed to be a dignified, intelligent being, that superior act of his rubbed him the completely wrong way!_

"_It can't be helped, I guess. I will talk to Yamamoto-sama and request that I can take you to Soul Society or more Hollows will come for you…" the man said more to himself than anyone else. _

_Blinking at the swordsman, the teenager felt how his stomach clenched. …Take him away? Surely, that didn't sound good, not when he didn't even know what the destination was…Finally fed up with the situation, he tried to query his saviour once more._

"_Tell me what's going on…and in such a way that even I can comprehend what you mean."_

"_There's no helping it then…"_

_The calm look he was given after that indicated that the man –whoever he was- would choose another fight over having a conversation with him. Something that pissed the teenager off all the more. _

_--Scene Shift, some time later--_

"_Did you get it now?" the dark-haired male asked in a monotone way. _

"_So…you are not humans, but Shinigami, warriors that live in a place called Soul Society. The two tasks you have are to give the Plus, normal, friendly ghosts a burial so that they can go to heaven, while you assassinate Hollows, vengeful spirits that attack people with spiritual energy and devour their souls."_

"_That's the basic," his teacher of sorts affirmed stoically, "Any other questions?"_

_A look followed that clearly said: Any questions and I might just slice you in two…_

"_Actually, yes. Why is your drawing so bad?" the orange-haired male dared to say. _

_And really, the figures painted on a piece of paper couldn't be called masterly done. Probably even a five year old could do it better…well, at least Ichigo assumed that. For his bold truthfulness, he earned himself a transparent blow that sent him flying against the next wall. What the hell had that been?_

"_Come on, you can't possibly expect of me that I believe in Death Gods!" he fought back._

_Instead of a reply, the swordsman lifted an eyebrow lazily, mockingly._

"_You see ghosts but don't believe in my words? I don't lie. We'll be taking you back to Soul Society, so you can certify the truth of my words yourself."_

"_I won't come, though! Why should I anyway? You are not my father, you cannot order me to accompany you just like that!" the teenager let his fury out, but it didn't seem to affect the other, for he just huffed._

"_It's for the best…for you and your family. Otherwise, the flow of things would be disturbed, more than you already have interfered with things. Even though you are just a mortal, you will have to follow Soul Society's commands. I will make sure of that."_

"_Wonderful! So I get no free will in this matter? Fuck you! As if you could force me to!"_

_One moment later, Ichigo should find out that he could, for his arm was grasped roughly._

"_**Boy**__, do not try to shatter my composure. Children such as you have to be taught a lesson so that they will learn exactly where their place is. Now go to bed and don't leave the house anymore, understood?" the stranger whispered threateningly. _

_This time, even someone as rebellious as the teenager had to comply, because the power surrounding the man could not be ignored. Embarrassed by being called ,child' and angry, the boy turned around._

"_Stupid jerk! I will show you how much I think of your order and composure!" he growled, before he threw the door shut, leaving the other behind with a big headache_.

_It wasn't often that the Death Reaper was affected by anyone, but that little whelp was really exhausting and testing his patience. Willing these thoughts away, he tried to concentrate on the important things. His sister needed treatment of the fourth Division and the boy needed to be inspected by the General…and his task would be the hardest, watching over two youngsters…_

_Still, he would do it, for he would never bring shame over his family, not again…_

_--Scene Shift--_

_Ichigo lay on his bed, his gaze directed at the ceiling, without really looking at it. Wow, this was really crazy! Should he really believe all that nonsense? Of course, he had seen everything, but maybe this was a dream? Or he was in a coma and just didn't know…would pinching himself help? _

_No, he had tried that already and had red marks on his arm to prove that…But, regardless if what he had been told was right or not, he wouldn't leave this house. Although he had always dreamt of a bit of adventure or something exciting to happen, he had never wanted to leave his family. _

_Although they could be a bit stressing at times, he loved them all and he didn't want to spend any more time with that guy. Heck, he didn't even know the name of the black-haired man! Cursing under his breath, the teenager stood up. Like this, he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, so he decided to drink something and look after his sisters and his patient again_.

_Even though he was no doctor, he had learned a lot from his father about medical treatment and was optimistic that they would be all okay. After all, he had often patched up his own wounds after a fight, so he was practically already an expert at it…_

_At least until tomorrow, when his Dad would return…Tiptoeing, he made his way to their living room before he approached the sickroom, for somehow, he could imagine that his guest had good hearing. Surely, it would fit that bastard. Yeah, right, he strongly disliked that guy! After all, he was arrogant and bossy and…_

"_Is something wrong?" the polite, but cold voice made him yelp. _

_There was the man, sitting beside the bed of his sister, looking at him both accusingly and questioningly. _

"_I-I only w-wanted to make sure their conditions aren't worsening!" he hastily stuttered._

"_Don't you trust me to take care of them?" _

"_Why should I?! I don't even know you or your name when we are at that!" Ichigo pouted._

_His whole fighting spirit, however, disappeared when he saw the sapphire eyes. They seemed tired; although the man did his best to hide the fatigue he must be feeling. And, even if he was a grumpy troublemaker, the teenager did have a some morality. Or maybe it was only because of the lack of sleep that he did what he did then?_

_Whatever reason he had, the boy didn't know, but still, he gave his guest a tiny smile and played with one of his locks nervously._

"_I'll take the shift and will look after them. You seem to be far more beaten than I am, __**old man**__." _

_Hah! That was his payback for that ,child'-remark from earlier._

"_As a Shinigami, I can-"_

"_Come on now! As a brother of two younger sisters, I can understand you, but it won't get better if you harm your body, right? You'll need your full strength soon!"_

_In reality, Ichigo hadn't really believed that someone as uptight as that man would listen to any advise, that had to be why he was so surprised when the stranger did stand up. _

"_Kuchiki Byakuya," the stranger said suddenly, standing right in front of the door._

"_What?"_

"_My name," the black-haired man sneered._

"_Don't be so mean about it! Well, nice to meet you I guess. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo…"_

(End Chapter 1)

"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed." By Carl Gustav Jung


	6. Cherry Blossoms In The Moonlight Part 2

--Chapter 02--

So here he was- sitting under a streetlight in the middle of the night, watching the fireflies swarming around the street lamp.

Otherwise, the street was pitch-black and depressing. Well, not for him, although he hated this place. Yes, from the innermost of his soul, should he even have one. The figure sighed deeply. Why did he have to stay in the human world?

Everything here seemed so pointless! It made him sick to breath the same air as those weak creatures, to see the families passing him by, laughing and talking. Hollows were completely different from them- they didn't have a need for some pathetic feeling like love.

And especially he was disgusted by that affectionate emotion. One could only trust oneself, otherwise, you would only become as frail as glass. For his race, only survival counted and he did plan to keep it like that.

Still, now he had a mission that around this world that he hated so much. And it wouldn't be easy, especially because he would have to stay here for quite some while. Why had he been chosen anyway? It wasn't like he was known for his social skill and everyone knew how much he hated those foolish, weak mortals…

Maybe they had decided on him to mock him. Yes, that Tousen guy really seemed to dislike him. Well, not this fault that the stuck up Shinigami guy wasn't of his opinion. Fortunately, he had only met that type once, when his master had introduced his henchmen. Trembling slightly, the man frowned. He really needed a place to stay. However, according to some stories he had heard, strangers weren't easily trusted. Plus his weird appearance wouldn't make the whole thing easier.

Stifling a shiver, he wrapped his arms around himself. Man, why was it so cold here? Normally, he could live with some frostiness, but somehow, the chilliness on earth went right through him. He didn't have any warm clothes either, just his normal Espada attire. Really, if he should survive this would he find a way to kill Aizen!

That bastard, playing with him like this! Growling, he visualised all the ways he could give his leader a preferably painful death. Why wasn't he stronger? If he were, they wouldn't have to cower before a Death God, especially not a so arrogant one! Though it wasn't like the others appreciated him or his thinking.

On contrary, they were loyal to the brunet Soul Reaper and treated him with indifference, sometimes even dislike. Not that he cared, it only supported his viewpoint that things like friendship or trust were useless. Maybe humans could fool themselves into thinking it was the best, but in reality, they were only filling the emptiness inside of them. In reality, they were just as rotten and hollow inside as he was.

For Grimmjow, it couldn't be any other way, love just had to be a lie. Soon, he would prove it, when he would be the last one standing, laughing down at all the dead corpses beneath him. Hopefully, one day, he would show them all.

When Rukia woke up, the first thing her hazy mind realised was that she wasn't at home, this a place completely unknown to her.

Then, after she had slowly opened her eyes, she remembered; the injuries, going to earth, everything. Sitting up was painful, but not impossible, so she grinded her teeth together and, after a few minutes, she finally succeeded.

The sight that manifested itself when she finally had managed to sit up, however, was one of the strangest she had ever seen. There, bathed in the light of the morning sun, sat two persons. With the light illuminating their appearances, they were beautiful, especially together, for they appeared to be the exact opposites.

One with long, flowing hair of the darkest ebony and with skin like the moon; the other with short, spiky locks which shone in a rich tangerine and a healthy tan only those loved by the sun possessed.

For a moment, she observed them, transfixed and bewitched. She didn't know why she did so, but somehow, both were radiant, casting a spell over others in two different ways. Combined, they were more than just fascinating or intriguing, they seemed to be perfect. Truly, they had to be made for each other!

Dreamily, the black-haired female led her thoughts wander, tried to imagine how they would look together, intertwined, their eyes filled with passion…

"Rukia."

And her little dream world came crashing down, she was jolted awake by just this word, this one harsh, coldly-spoken word she suddenly learned to despise. Still, it did not change that she now understood just _who_ she was gaping at. Her brother was displeased, she knew it because of the way his eyebrow twitched. It always did when someone did a sloppy work or tried to annoy sixth Division's Captain.

Next to her, the human with the uncommon mane snored loudly, mumbling something incoherent. Wincing, the girl noticed the wrinkle on her sibling's forehead. Well, seemed like her protector didn't have a thing for loud, routing human beings…Even though she found it kind of cute. Like a child, the mortal had curled himself up in a ball, his hands partly hiding his face. Part of his shirt had rolled up, showing off more of his skin's silky complexion. If it hadn't looked so undignified in front of her brother, she would have giggled. Instead, she settled on glancing around in a confused way.

"…What happened?" she asked nervously, twiddling with a strand of her hair. After a long pause and something that could be considered a glare, Byakuya answered, his voice even yet cold.

"Your order was to stay and heal," he assessed. Lowering her head, she bit her lip in hesitation. Now she had achieved exactly the opposite of what she had wanted, after all, it had been her wish to not burden the hard-working man anymore. Why couldn't she do things in the right way?

"I was feeling better…" she defended herself pathetically. Trailing off, she took a peek at the sleeping human, before she continued, trying to steer the conversation away from her own incapability, "How is it possible that he can see us?" Not looking at the person they were currently talking about, the dark-haired man replied.

"This is just an assumption, but it could be because he possesses a large amount of spiritual energy. Nowadays, there aren't many creatures of the earth that are aware of our presence, but some may have that ability. Though a reason for that hasn't been found yet, there are many assumptions and theories about that topic. But whenever one of his kind is found, we have to take action. Because, if he were to influence others, it would misbalance the harmony between Soul Society and Earth." Thoughtfully, Rukia frowned, before fingers dug into the white blanket of the bed she was lying in.

"So, he will have to leave his family…?" she questioned. Although she had never understood or felt sympathy for non-spiritual beings before, she couldn't help but feel uneasy about it. Surely, she wouldn't be happy about being kidnapped and being held captive at a place she did not know…

"What will become of him?" she couldn't help but inquire, even though she was sure that the truth about that wasn't something she wanted to hear about.

"If he only possesses little rejatsu, that power will be sealed and he will return without memory. However, should he wield energy that could become dangerous, he will from this time on become a resident of Soul Society."

Silence settled over them. While the female Soul Reaper did not know what do say, she figured that her sibling did not like to talk that much anyway. Or he was still indignant about her behaviour. Really, she did not know really, his quietness could be taken as many things. Choosing to not think about such gloomy matters for the time being, Rukia began to look around.

Judging from the cleanness and the shelves full of medicine, this was a medical room. Her gaze lingered on the person lying in the bedding next to her own. She was a small, pale-looking girl with short, boyish hair and a lovely, o-shaped face. The pink nightgown she wore did not conceal the bandage that was wrapped around her left shoulder. But all in all, the little one had only scratches that would heal in a few days.

A relived sigh escaped the swordswoman's lips. It was true that humans were strange in her opinion, she didn't know much about them and they were disconcerting for her, but she hated it when others got hurt, especially innocent or helpless ones. Since she was a Death God, it would have been her duty to protect them, yet she had failed. If her brother hadn't come in time, they would have all died.

Also, the Hollow would have become unimaginably strong. Still, she shouldn't brood about the past- what had happened had happened. Regrets would lead nowhere.

"We will be going soon, so you should prepare yourself," her Nii-sama suddenly remarked, standing up, "I will wake him up." Reluctantly, the young woman did as she was told. Probably, she thought to herself, snatching someone away from his home was one of the nastier jobs of a Shinigami. There were many, but this particular one left a bad aftertaste in her mouth. And not even the largest amount of that strange cherry-flavoured toothpaste she had found in the bathroom of the humans could wash that taste away.

That boy, Byakuya decided, was irritating. His constantly grumpy expression aside, he was loud, obnoxious and had a knack for being a nuisance.

He was something the Captain did not want or need, namely more work for him. And the black-haired man knew, with the instincts of someone who had to deal with ape-like persons that couldn't even write correctly (he didn't even want to talk about the reports they handed in), that this child meant trouble.

All you had to do to see that was to take a look at him. Chocolate brown eyes revealed a fierce will that wouldn't submit to anyone. And the sudden appearance of his spiritual energy…yes, one could say that this mortal wouldn't take things lying down just like that.

If Byakuya was like the order that kept the world together, Kurosaki Ichigo was like the chaos, something that arrived out of nowhere, wild and untameable, deranging and confusing the laws that existed. Still, that was not the reason why the elite Soul Reaper wanted to preferably forget about this problem case.

No, it was suspicious that nobody had noticed the teenager's potential before. There was something off, although the swordsman could not quite explain what it was. Maybe because it could be a bad omen?

With the arrival of the boy, something would change, one way or another. Byakuya did not like changes, he liked to keep things constant and predictable. However, this was his mission. No matter what bad a feeling he had about the other, he would do what he knew was right. Brining the orange-haired troublemaker was inevitable.

Harshly nudging the object of his worries, the stoic man received only a crass munch as answer. That guy was vulgar, even while sleeping…The whole night, he had made such nettlesome noises.

Yet the Captain had found that he didn't mind them as much as he should have. Either he had become used to them because of Abarai-san, his unruly Vice, or he had become really good at shutting out things he didn't want to hear…Finally, after a forceful shake, the teenager groggily responded, glaring at his assaulter before he yawned loudly.

"Oh, it's you," the rascal slurred, "And I had hoped that it was all just a nightmare…" Ignoring the childish attempt to anger him, the black-haired beauty stood up and removed some imaginary dust from his clothes.

"You know, a simple ,Me too' or ,Good morning' would have been enough…" the youth huffed, before he jumped up and inspected the bed his sister lay in.

"How are our patients?" the Kurosaki brat inquired, already pottering around with his sibling's plasters. Apparently, he had patched up someone before, because he did so with great skill, gently looking over the wounds, without causing much pain for the sick human girl. Yet Byakuya couldn't help but think that he seemed out of place; his brash exterior didn't fit in with the warmth suddenly displayed in his irises.

Although he wasn't sure why, but the Death God couldn't help but want to destroy that peaceful image. Maybe because it reminded him too much of the time when he had cared for his ill wife, had tended to her just like the boy currently did?

To him, it didn't matter why, he had to eliminate the feelings that were stirring in the pits of his stomach, because those were a weakness.

"Pack everything you want to take with you, we'll be going soon," he said, his voice void of any emotion he might be fighting with at the moment. Somehow, seeing the slender shoulders of the younger male tense wasn't satisfying at all. "There is no other way, right?" Kurosaki asked, sounding like he wanted to convince himself, "Even though I really would rather get beaten up than to spend more time with _you_, it's for Karin and Yuzu. I-If they were hurt again, just because of me…"

Astonished by the sudden and complete change of atmosphere, the spiritual being kept silent. At the moment, he didn't know who he disliked more, the outspoken and rebelling hooligan he had met last night or ruminative, somewhat sad child he was seeing now. Both didn't bode well with him, so he turned to the door.

This was not his business, all he had to care about was his duty. Since when had he been interested in other people's feelings? After his beloved's death, he had sworn that he would never get emotionally involved again, never. Sympathy would help no one anyway. "By the way, how is your sister?"

The sudden question came at such a surprising time that Byakuya had to fight the urge to swirl around. Dignifiedly, he lifted one hand and grabbed the doorknob. "Unlike mortals, her healing rate is much faster. In a few days, she will be ready for combat again." "Oh. I guess that's fine…" the brat's voice sounded weird, something between a sniff and a shrug. "In one hour, we will depart. Until then, get ready. We will erase your family's memories too." This time, he received no reaction, so he simply left, giving the other a moment to drown in his sorrow. Well, one day, the Kurosaki boy would have to learn that life wasn't always fair or pleasant…

Still, it were three quiet figures that were standing in front of the normal yet lovely house of the Kurosakis one hour later. Ichigo looked very like he would snap every moment and tell those two what he thought of them and their crazy explanations, but the way his lips were tightly pressed together indicated that he wouldn't do that.

Although he didn't like the idea of travelling with that ice block one bit, it was for the safety of his sisters. Maybe, if those people (whatever they were, ghosts or just psychos) found a ,cure' for his energy leaking –whatever- problem, he would be able to escape and return to his family. At least, that plan did sound good in his head. If necessary, he would even fight his way out. No, there was no reason to be so heavy-hearted, he could leave at any given moment…and hadn't he wanted some adventure?

Glancing at his companions, the orange-haired teenagers frowned. Even though he didn't trust them very much, the evidence they had showed him was too good to ignore. After all, monsters the size of skyscrapers didn't visit his house every night. Now that he thought about it…Though he had told them he had never seen a ,Hollow' before…

Quickly shaking his head, the highschool student tried to blend out the memories that threatened to overwhelm him. Rain, the weird-looking boy, his mother calling out for him, blood, empty, unseeing eyes that had once shone with gentleness, _death_… "

…All you have to do is to follow us through the black portal. Can you do it? Hey, are you listening?" Startling up, this was the time that the boy noticed the two pairs of blue eyes surveying him, one pair with boredom, the other one with concern and maybe some anger. Folding her hands over her chest, the only female of their weird little group sighed theatrically.

"Kurosaki-kun, this is important, so listen! Or else, you might get lost on the way there…I heard there are monsters waiting in the world between ours and yours…" Somehow, he couldn't quite bring himself to believe her. Perhaps because of the strange gleam in her eyes? Or because of the way she imitated the questionable ,beast' by touching her shoulders with her hands and laughing manically?

Well, at least her bastard brother seemed to be just as bewildered by her behaviour as him, although he said nothing, didn't deny or affirm her claim. Ichigo figured he should be careful nonetheless.

After all, Hollows existed, so a few more monsters here and there were possible to subsist too, right?

"There's no time for childish play," Kuchiki Byakuya announced, lifting his arm only to have a completely black butterfly land on one of his fingers. A moment later, the boy could feel something that he could only describe as a shockwave, before a door appeared out of nowhere.

With its obsidian colour and ancient styling, it didn't sound too promising, but what other choice did he have? For the older man seemed to be someone who always got his way, no matter what he had to do for it. And the teenager didn't really want to face that sword the other possessed. So, like his two escorts, he approached the entrance, swallowing once as he saw it opening. ,Yuzu, Karin, I'm going. But I'll be back. Please don't forget me until then…'

When Yuzu woke up, she instantly knew something was wrong. Her body felt sore, like she had overstrained herself.

Her muscles protested when she tried to move her hand to rub her eyes. Frustrated by that, the brunette glanced around, taking in her surroundings. This wasn't her room, this was a chamber that was part of the clinic…But why? Had she hurt herself? Even after trying to remember, she couldn't recall. Still, there was something white slung around her shoulder…Touching the soft fabric of the bandage, her eyebrows drew together. Yeah, that was right, a truck had crashed into their house last night and because of all the commotion, her onii-chan had brought her to bed…but she hadn't been injured, had she?

And then there was that really weird dream she had…Having to know what was going on, she swung her legs over the brink of the bed, she came to stand, albeit a bit wobbly. With slow, determined steps, she finally reached the door and opened it. The solidness of the wooden ground felt strange and assuring at the same time.

Not giving it another thought, the girl headed in the direction of her brother's room. Always, he had been the one to comfort her and Karin, so it was only natural to her. Although he had become more distant in the last few years, he was always understanding and did manage to cheer her up most of the time.

When she entered, the hinge creaked. "Ichi-nii?" she whispered tentatively. No answer. Taking another step, she eyed the chamber for a moment, before the bed caught her attention. Nothing was wrong, like always, everything was a organised mess, with papers, CDs, clothing and school stuff lying everywhere; however, one thing was missing.

There were no orange spikes barely visible under the piles of blankets. The light blue curtains flattered lightly in the wind, which came in because of the opened window. Also, the cupboard was opened, you could make out that some clothes were missing. Soft brown eyes widened. Ichigo, her brother, was no longer here.

At the same moment, similar brown irises were filled with the comparable wonder, but of an other sort. The world the two Shinigami had brought him to was, in one word, different. For a moment, it reminded the teenager of feudal Japan.

In the centre of this place, a tower stood, rising above the other buildings. Surrounding it was a hill, green, bushy trees and smaller houses. Also, there were walls, which looked unconquerable in the light of the sun, shining in a fine silvery that the boy had never seen before. All in all, there was much silver, white, brown and gold, blending together in what seemed to be natural harmony.

Enveloping the mighty walls in a perfect circle-shape was a city, one that looked like a small maze, judging from the many streets that all looked exactly looked the same. So this was where he was supposed to live for some while? Even if the aura of Soul Society (like Rukia had told him) was full of something auspicious, he couldn't bring himself to like it. To him, it appeared to be almost too perfect. And, as he knew, everyone had one secret or another others shouldn't ever find out about.

Surely, there was a dark side to this planet too. Not knowing what this place was hiding might be even worse than knowing; still, Ichigo did not ask. Kuchiki Byakuya would not tell him anyway and he doubted that his sister was aware of the shadow of her home.

"What'll happen next?" he chose to ask, just to remove the stiffness he was currently feeling. Smiling at him, the dark-haired swordswoman pointed at the huge tower in the middle.

"We will meet with General Yamamoto, our leader. He will decide what to do with you." Whereas the point of someone else ordering around didn't sound all too good, it was probably better to get it over with. So that he could return to his normal, slacking-off routine. And then, he wouldn't have to see those sapphires of that annoying bastard again. Some may think that they were intriguing, for they seemed as deep as an ocean. But the teenager interpreted their calm, yet intense gaze as something entirely different.

In his opinion, those orbs were mocking him, constantly radiating the message: I'm better than you, trash! No, he couldn't live with that. After strolling out of this Soul Society- preferably after having kicked the inhabitants' asses- he would show the other just who was the pathetic one! There was no challenge that was too big for Kurosaki Ichigo, after all. With that silent promise in mind, the young man followed his companions, who were leading him to the city he had marvelled at just a few minutes ago.

"Answer me, Kuchiki Byakuya! Is this world's peace all you care about? What about Rukia? Isn't she important to you? And me? Do you even give a damn about me?? I need an answer…"

Their spiritual energy was crushing as both tried their best to win, although both were still toying, trying to measure the other's abilities. Here and there, a potential bystander would have been able to catch a glimpse of a beautiful pink blossom. Still, one had to experience their sharpness to know that they were not only pretty, but also deathly.

Ichigo was dodging them all, his cocky smile still on face, despite his earlier question, which still seemed to linger in the air. For a moment, hardened sapphires lost their sharpness, became like the sky on a sunny day, a bright, breathtaking cerulean. In the middle of his movement, his orange-haired opponent stopped, enthralled by the sight.

"You were always the arrogant, liverish child to me. When we met, it was my duty to bring you here, nothing more. Although I always knew you were only a disturbance. Still, those disturbances, they have a purpose too. Maybe my world now consists of chaos. For order and chaos cannot live without the other."

"What kind of answer is that?!" his husband bit back, frustrated. Couldn't the black-haired man give him a response that made sense for once? Barely, he managed to escape the other's next attack, as he had been totally unprepared for it, too caught up in their conversation.

"Perhaps, if you beat me, I will tell you…"

(End Chapter 2)

"Every heart has its own story." By unknown

--Chapter 03--

Again, he watched. Lately, he had caught himself doing that too often. Whenever he was lost in thought, his eyes would unintentionally search for the object he was currently observing. Hungrily, he would take in slender yet strong fingers, as they held the pen with a natural grace the boy couldn't help but admire, the white, flawless colour of the skin that man possessed and the thoughtfulness that appeared in those blue depths- which were so cold and unapproachable otherwise- whenever the constant scribbling of his pen would halt. One month. It had already been one month since he had come to the world of the Shinigami, had learned about this place full of spiritual energy and wonders. Three weeks since it had been decided that he would stay with the Kuchiki family. One week since he had found out about his own feelings. And regardless of all that, nothing had changed between him and the ice block he was living with. While he had befriended Rukia, who helped him whenever he felt homesick and whom he now saw as another sister, her brother Byakuya was just as snubbing as before. First, it had only irked him and he, being the impulsive person that he was, had tried to break the ice. Without success. But it being such a big challenge had only made him more determined. After a week, he had felt resignation. All his attempts to get only a little smile out of that guy had failed. From then on, it had haunted him, the musings about how that bastard would look like laughing, or sad, or in a heated battle…when his obsession began, Ichigo could not tell. But he knew, with a frightening certainty, that he had begun to see the stoic Shinigami in another light. From a perspective he had never wanted to see another man from. Of course, he hadn't immediately accepted that fact. Stubbornly, he had been in denial about that fluttering he felt whenever blue eyes would glance his way and he would have never admitted that his daily watching was actually more like…stalking. Then, however, it had happened…

_Flashback:_

"_Why do I have to?" the orange-haired teenager complained, looking at the girl standing in front of him with annoyance. Rukia sighed deeply, before she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at her friend. _

"_He isn't listening to me, I bet he is still angry that I defied his commands and just went to earth that day. But it's not good for him to lock himself in his room and work all day. So do something! If it suits you, lie and say he has been called, I don't care. I don't want Nii-sama to get ill…" she ended sullenly. The atmosphere had been tense those last two days, as Byakuya hadn't appeared during the meals, nor had he showed any signs of life. _

"_Well, I'm the wrong person for that job! I bet it's only because of me that he isn't coming out in the first place. After all, he doesn't like me…" _

_Although the young man said it with a nonchalant tone, inwardly, he was bothered. Maybe the older male really thought he was unbearable. Even though he had tried so hard, there had been many incidents in which he had disturbed the peace in the mansion they were living in. Surely that was why the owner of this house, who loved law and order, couldn't even stand being in the same room with him. _

"_If he really hated you, he wouldn't have volunteered to take you in," the black-haired swordswoman lectured, "He is always behaving like that." _

"_Yeah? He just thought about his duty, so he allowed me to move in here. Not that I'm bothered- I don't like that jerk either, so he can die in there for all I care."_

"_Don't talk like that about Nii-sama! Although he doesn't show it, he really is kind. Now stop pouting like a child and get him out already!"_

_Rukia's narrowed eyes forbid any complaints or objections, so the teenager gave up, albeit grumpily. Really, it was times like this one that he missed the soft-spoken Yuzu, who had always seemed to understand him. But thinking about the home he had left behind was never good- his stomach would twist painfully whenever he did. Taking a deep breath, he cautiously knocked on the coal black door that led to the older male's bureau. No answer. Waiting for another moment, Ichigo decided to try again, more firmly this time. Again, there was no reaction. Clearing his throat, the boy began to speak. _

"_Open up already! I know it's against the rules to disturb you during your work, but your sister has something she wants to talk to you about! So come out for a moment…"_

_Slowly, it was beginning to unnerve him. Really, why was the other such a cold-hearted asshole? Couldn't he think about Rukia's feelings for once? _

"_Hey you bugger! At least answer! Arg, I've had enough, I'm coming in!"_

_Well, although he tried to, the door was locked, what made him all the more pissed. Still, for the teenager, there was no problem that couldn't be solved by violence. Thus, the door flew open because of a forceful kick only a moment later. Ichigo had expected many things. Like seeing a Byakuya completely engrossed and lost in his work. Or the black-haired man staring at him mockingly again, like he did so often when his delinquently guest did something wrong. Maybe even an irritated Death God would have been more logical to him than what he saw: The man he had thought had no emotion, had no needs and urges half sat, half lay there, slumped down on his desk, sleeping. His expression had lost all sharpness and his face looked almost serene. Like that, you could clearly see the rare beauty the Kuchiki's heir possessed. Like a piece of art, every contour seemed delicate, yet strong and defined. And the boy found himself lost, spellbound. Somehow, the prospect of staring at that scene forever didn't seem bad at all. No, there were so many things to inspect. It was fascinating to watch the shades of blue the light coming from the window conjured on the usually midnight-black hair. Or the way the pale eyelids fluttered ever so slightly whenever their owner exhaled. Even the hands clutching the pen frantically could have been the most fascinating thing in the world at that moment…though, after a minute of breathless staring, just watching wasn't enough. Ichigo wanted to touch that creature that was so foreign and familiar at the same time. It took him only two steps to close the distance, only one second to reach out. Just as his fingertips touched obsidian locks, Byakuya stirred and the moment was lost. Scurrying away, the boy regarded the blue eyes that were surveying him accusingly with horror. His heart was still beating fast, pounding against his chest. For no reason, at least he couldn't think of any, his cheeks were hot and he felt dizzy. _

"_What are you doing here?" his host asked moodily, interrupting his swirling thoughts sharply. _

"_Y-your s-sister…wanted y-you to come out a-and…" the orange-haired male hemmed and hawed. No words were exchanged after that between the two of them. But that was the day that the orange-haired boy couldn't deny it anymore; his feelings towards the aristocrat had changed._

After that, living together with the Kuchiki siblings had become torture for him. The only times when he saw the person he admired was when he secretly watched him during work through a small hole in the wall he had discovered just recently. Pathetic, really and whenever he used that possibility to catch a small glimpse of the other, he wanted to kick himself. No way would that bastard ever notice him, they couldn't even have one decent conversation with each other. And what was worse: That guy was a _male_, a manly one, even though he had long hair and could rival any woman's prettiness. Ichigo hated the whole affair, his own confusing feelings, that man that had caused him so much grief, heck, he despised this whole place! In the end, it wasn't like he was staying here of his free will. No, when he had arrived here, it had been _decided_ for him…Recalling that still disgruntled him.

_Flashback_

_Some way or another, they had arrived at a wide, completely white hall. As impressive as the marble streets of Soul Society were, to Ichigo, they seemed like a maze. One thing was for sure, he wouldn't find out on his own. At least not without climbing some walls and asking some residents. If there were any- on his way here, the boy had only seen two or three persons, which had all brushed past when they had recognised Kuchiki Byakuya. Something that the teenager couldn't hold against them, for that guy really did seem to be stuck up. Not only that, but the air around the older male forbid any disobedience, something that was exasperating and intriguing at the same time. That bastard was just one of those few that had been born as something better, who could do everything if they wanted to. The young human disliked him for it. Had the black-haired Captain ever faced sadness? Or was his coldness just referable to him thinking he was something better? For some reason, Ichigo couldn't quite tell if he was a jerk or not. Well, not that he cared either way. There was just nothing else to do than looking around and thinking. Because right now, they were waiting for…someone. Right now, his companions weren't the most talkative people, so the troublemaker didn't want to ask them what exactly would happen next. Instead, he settled on staring down the graceful archway above him. Who was so talented to build such a thing? It looked like the construction had taken much time, for every delve; every oscillation was masterly done and added to the harmonic overall picture. Even the paved ground he was standing on was flawless, as if the creator thought of mistakes as something unforgivable. Surely, he had been an ancestor of the ice block he was currently with. Ichigo snickered, what earned him a reprimanding glare. Stupid etiquette. Couldn't they get it done and over with? He wanted to get something that repelled those vengeful spirits, some sort of magical charm, and then he wanted to go home already. Because worrying Yuzu would be bad. And if he wouldn't return soon, his father would probably go ballistic. Finally, footsteps resounded on the pavement, announcing the arrival of whoever headed this place. Perhaps that type was just as Kuchiki Byakuya? Or was he even more awe-inspiring? But the sight that greeted the boy as he peered at the other end of the highway was not what he had been expecting. With his long white beard, his cryptic smile, the half closed eyes and the cane he was leaning on, the leader of Soul Society resembled a nice old grandpa more than anything else. Still, Rukia and her brother seemed to be of another opinion, for they bowed their heads in respect before they approached the newcomer. Scooting closer too, the kidnapped human waited for the other two to explain the situation. Not only because they knew much more about the whole thing than he did, he also deemed it better to let them do it because he had never been good with words. Tricky as they were, words could be twisted, misunderstood and used against you. Ichigo had always thought that a well-meant kick or punch could express so much more. A weird logic, which he had learnt from his pops- well, maybe. _

"_So that's how it is…" the old man looked thoughtful for a moment, before he directed his gaze at the orange-haired male, who crossed his arms over his chest in impatience. _

"_The extent of his spiritual energy is still not known, right? It would be better, for the time being, if he stayed here and trained his abilities."_

"_What…?" Ichigo coughed. Nobody had told him that he would have to stay here forever! He didn't want to! And he wouldn't listen to some geezer anyway…_

"_We cannot allow the outside world to be affected. So the only solution is to awaken the spiritual power inside of him."_

_The two Shinigami that had brought him here nodded, as if they understood; the orange-haired boy did not. Weren't they some kind of superpower army? Couldn't they simply give him a shield or another sort of protection? _

"_I refuse," he huffed, hoping that the others would finally notice that this was his future they were talking so freely about. Still, nobody reacted, all three continued to be silent, as if lost in thought. Still, enough was enough for Ichigo. _

"_There's no way I'll just do what you want! I'm going…" he began, but was cut off by Byakuya capturing his arm in a firm grip. Struggling turned out to be futile, for the older male was strong- far stronger than the boy would have thought he would be. _

"_There should be no problem. I have discovered him, so I'll be taking responsibility too. Until we find another solution, he'll be living in our house and I'll make sure his education will be taken care of."_

_It seemed that in the eyes of the Death Gods, he was still a child- or at least they treated him like one. And there wasn't even much he could do about it! Here, brought to this world he knew nothing of, they clearly had the advantage. Yet still…_

"_I don't want this!" he wailed as the dark-haired Shinigami dragged him along. Soul Society's General smiled at him._

"_I hope you won't bother Kuchiki-san too much, Kurosaki-san. After all, he doesn't volunteer to do things like this every day…Get along well!" _

_From that day on, he had been stuck in the realm of the Soul Reapers._

_Scene Change_

_Really, one thing was for sure. Rukia and her brother had money and they knew how to use it. Only looking at their home- it was a freaking villa or mansion!- made the orange-haired delinquent gulp. Although it was built like a traditional Japanese house, it possessed three floors, the gutters surrounding it were made of mahogany and a beautiful garden surrounded the snow-white manor with the black roof. Also, there was a picturesque pond with reeds, pink water lilies and some other sort of flowers Ichigo had never seen. Soft green grass rustled in the wind and the first daisies dared to open their petals shyly, peaking at the last rays of sun that shone down on them brightly. The biggest and oldest tree that the teenager could locate, which wide crown was full of delicate cherry blossoms that hadn't fully bloomed yet, was standing directly next to the building, spending it shelter during too sunny days. _

"_This is the estate that belonged to the Kuchiki household since one millennium. Isn't it beautiful?" the black-haired swordswoman asked, her eyes shining happily. Their guest restricted himself to murmuring something, which could have been understood as both affirmation and objection. To be honest, he was a bit baffled by all that luxury, but he wouldn't admit that in front of that guy, who was currently walking into the palace as if he was already used to the splendour- what he probably was. Talk about unfairness. Though his family had never been poor, they hadn't been exactly wealthy either, so Ichigo felt a bit uncomfortable, especially because he was supposed to live here for an unknown amount of time. Hopefully, everything would go well…_

Nothing had gone well. During the first three days, he had- while trying to make breakfast- almost burnt down the whole place, had destroyed three vases which looked like they had cost more than his father's entire clinic and had been the cause of three mental breakdowns of ten of his teachers, which had been ordered to teach him something about rejatsu release. Well, it was not his fault. How often had he told them that he had no clue what this stupid rejatsu was in the first place? Every time he had done something wrong, a nerve on Byakuya's forehead had popped- the only evidence that he was annoyed or angry- and he had ordered Ichigo to clean the whole house, to carry huge piles of paper or to simply disappear for some hours and not appear under his eyes again. Although he felt bad for messing up things like that, the teenager was also stubborn. In his opinion, they were at fault too. Why did they have to bring him here? Couldn't they understand that he didn't have the same freak abilities as they had? The only thing that mildly interested him- training with the sword and martial arts- he hadn't been allowed to participate in. For one, he wasn't a Shinigami, so he didn't have a Katana like they did and then they were much fitter than he was and his instructors had been afraid that he would hurt himself badly. No matter how often he had told them that he was no weakling, they had limited his education to meditation and boring lessons, in which he was told the theory of spiritual energy, Hollows and Shinigami. So, the boy mused, it was no surprise that he was having strange thoughts about his host. The only two persons he ever met (apart from his teachers) were Rukia and her Nii-sama, after all. And, although he did like the petite female a lot, he couldn't bring himself to fall in love with her. Girls had always been an awkward topic for him. First, he had no interest in them because he had been trying to deal with his mother's death, then, when the other males began to stalk the one of their dreams; he had been fighting with hoodlums who had made fun of his haircolour. Now, just as the right time for dating had come, he was caged here, so it was completely understandable that he had started to fancy Kuchiki Byakuya just the _tiniest_ bit. Ultimately, he was just a normal guy in puberty. Yes, there was nothing wrong with feeling that weird fluttering in his stomach whenever he saw those deep aquamarine eyes…at least, that was what Ichigo had told himself repeatedly. For a certain amount of time, his inner mantra worked well…that was, until _that_ day.

It had been a normal day, like many others the teenager had experienced in Soul Society. He had taken refugee in the big tree he had come to like, staring at the perfectly blue sky in a kind of half-doze. Since a few hours, looking at the shape of the clouds had ceased to make fun and the desperate cries of his instructors, who he had run away from, had become buzzing, which he could ignore easily. That was the moment, in his state of absolute boredom, that he had seen _her_. She had just climbed out of a carriage, her silken dress flattering in the wind ever so slightly. Wearing the traditional Kimono and hairpins that held up her long black hair, she looked positively attractive. Judging from her delicate, powered face, she was in her late twenties. Only her green eyes didn't fit in the image of the perfection, for they seemed dull, even from the distance Ichigo was examining her from. With a certain surprise, the boy noticed that Byakuya and Rukia were standing next to the carriage and were welcoming her in a very formal way. Apparently, she was a guest or something like that. Deciding that this was much more entertaining than taking an afternoon nap, the youth swiftly jumped down from his seat, running towards his best friend in Soul Society, who wasn't wearing her usual uniform, but a lovely yet simple white dress.

"What's going on here?" he questioned, ignoring the frown that began to form on her face.

"Shouldn't you be studying? At that pace, you'll never get back home…" she scolded with a sigh before she answered, "I guess you couldn't have heard about it yet. She is to be the new Lady of the house."

"Eh?"

"You know, the elders of our Clan want Nii-sama to finally get a wife. But he has never been interested in marriage, so they arranged one for him. Although I hate the aspect of living together without love, brother has accepted. Ichigo? Hey, are you listening?"

Her guest, however, had already gone in a state of shock. That bastard would…? The one he had admired from afar, the man he couldn't help but feel himself drawn to would soon take a wife? No, it was for the best. Like that, his little dream that one day, Byakuya would look his way, would end. No longer would he be able to delusion himself. Really, it was for the best.

Although he had thought that for himself, had assured himself inwardly that it wasn't his business, he hadn't been able to do anything since this revelation. Currently, he was sitting in the room that he had been allowed to live in. But even after such a long time of staying here, the chamber still felt cold, unfamiliar and uninviting, the walls were suffocating him and the one window hardly sufficed to give him enough air to breath. There were no personal items, only the few articles of clothing he had brought along and the one futon that had been in here before. Lying on the bed, not bothering to turn the light on although it was already getting dark, Ichigo had to admit that he was depressed. More than that, in this short time, his feelings had been in a never-ending turmoil, until he didn't know what to think anymore. Right now, all he wanted to do was to forget. To be empty of that beautiful woman that was so much better for Byakuya than he could ever be, to forget about his stupid little crush, to forget about the Hollow attack that had started it all. Honestly, if he ever met one of those monsters again, he would tear it apart for ruining his life, bar-handed or not.

Knocking interrupted his brooding. Moodily, the orange-haired punk stood up and wrenched the door open. Rukia's startled eyes greeted him.

"What do you want?" he grumbled. Wordlessly, she held out a tray with food for him.

"Because of the ceremony, Nii-sama has much work to do, so he can't come to eat with us. But it would be a shame to waste it, the cook has spent so much time on it. Could you bring it to him?"

"Fine," the teenager growled, knowing that when the small girl wanted something, she would get it and he didn't want to start another fight either. For that, he did not have the energy at that moment. So he followed the well-known way to the Shinigami Captain's office with a heavy heart and many questions in his mind. He did not see his friend's worried look.

This time, the entrance to Byakuya's bureau wasn't locked. Apparently, he had already been waiting for his sister to bring the meal. Rudely, Ichigo did not knock but just barged in without warning, ignored the older male's disfavouring glance and was just about to leave again, as a deep voice held him back.

"Wait," the heir to the Kuchiki Clan said neutrally. Resultantly, the teenager did as he was told, grinding his teeth together.

"What?" the younger man snapped, not turning around. At the moment, he could not bear to look at the other. All he would see was cold indifference anyway. Maybe, if he had been born as the lovely daughter of a rich family, it would have been different. Like things were, he was only a nuisance to the elite Shinigami.

"All my efforts to teach you some manners have been futile I see," the black-haired swordsman sighed. Ichigo snorted.

"Don't act like I'm a child," the oldest sibling of the Kurosakis answered stiffly, "It's not like you are that much better than me. All you know is work, work and work. What about your finance? Will you make time for her? Do you even love her?"

Those questions slipped out before the youth could hold them back. But before he could scold himself for asking them, his host surprisingly replied.

"Today was the first day I met her."

He said it in a nonchalant tone, as if that would explain everything. Somehow, that made the younger male all the angrier.

"So your marriage is just a formal thing, nothing more? Then I _pity_ her."

"Because it is our duty, we will manage this…matter to our best. My intended knows what is requested of her."

"Well, you know what? Do what you want- live in apathy forever. Yet at least, you should think about others and how they feel a little more."

And he couldn't stand being here anymore, could not stay with the man he adored and who couldn't even show some _emotion_. So he fled, out of the house, not thinking about anything, as he let his feet take him wherever they wanted.

The night air felt cold in his lungs, made it harder for him to keep running. But his decision had already been made. He wanted to run away, to return to his real home. There, he would not feel heart-broken and weird whenever he thought about a certain black-haired man. At home, nobody expected him to finally show some spiritual power or to pay special attention to his classes. Why had he listened to some old man and two supernatural freaks anyway? As if they could tell him what he should do. Obedience had never been his strong point- he would submit to no one. Still, how should he find a way to the earth? He did not have the abilities to open a portal, nor did he know his way out of the labyrinth of endless streets that was Soul Society…In his haste to leave, he didn't notice the person coming the opposite way until it was almost too late. Only a strong grip on his arm prevented him from bumping in the other.

"Slow down," the man said.For a moment, Ichigo could only stare at him. With his silver locks that had a tinge of violet in them, white porcelain-like skin and the black garment of the Soul Reapers, that figure had an unusual appearance indeed. Accompanied with a grin that looked positively predatory, that guy didn't look trustworthy, not at all. Though the boy had seen many odd people in this world, this one was one of the most unsettling acquaintances he had made. Not to mention that something about his Death God made the teenager want to escape, or at least to tremble.

"S-sorry…" he stuttered, trying to wriggle his arm free, but the man did not let go.

"Is there a reason for you to be out that late? You _are_ the rumoured human that stays at the Kuchiki estate, am I wrong? They say you have that unique hair…"

"So what? Let me go!" the boy demanded, but only achieved that the man's smile widened. Now, with only the rising moon to illuminate his face, the stranger looked positively frightening.

"So the other rumour is true too. You really are ill-mannered…and here I was, only wanting to talk to you a bit…"

"Well, I don't want to!" Ichigo yelled, losing his patience once and for all.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I agonised you. It is just that I wanted to ask you for a small favour. I am to bring this necklace to your house. But now that I have met you, why don't you do it? Or is there a problem with that?"

For a moment, the teenager surveyed the glimmering pendant the man brought out with distrust. Then again, he thought inwardly, it would be suspicious if he refused to. His plans of running away might be revealed if he did not accept. Later, he could still think of how he would return it to Byakuya. So with one swift movement, he snatched it away, finally managed to yank his arm free and then turned around, sprinting away. The silver-haired figure remained, standing there, his smile had still not vanished.

"How rude. And here I was, doing you a favour…"

Although he hadn't been able to examine it thoroughly before, the pendant really was magnificent, the teenager mused. It wasn't made by some metal or another material he knew, so that the image of the twines that were entangling a sort of crown seemed mystic and all the more spellbinding. Arriving at another empty street, Ichigo sighed heavily, before he quickly put the chain around his neck. Before he returned home, he would give it back, he was no thief after all. Now, he only had to find a way how. With his thoughts elsewhere, the boy did not give the soft glowing of the necklace any attention, as it continued to radiate its mysterious light, whispering of an untold destiny.

(End Chapter 3, last for now...)


End file.
